Twisting Love for a Laugh
by Luthien's-Dream
Summary: Faye lives to make peoples lives a misery. Especially the Marauders'. However James and Sirius have a bet and what follows can only be called... Disaster. SBOC JPLE. T for Language at some points.
1. Staring with a Detention

Twisting love for a laugh

Chapter 1 – Starting with a Detention

**Disclaimer: I am not J.K. Nor do I own the settings/basis/characters of this story (apart from Faye and a couple of others). This applies for the whole story.**

"You're late," a shrill voice commented, "That's the third time this week Miss Pent. That'll be 20 points from Gryffindor I'm afraid." The teacher smiled slightly to herself at the thought of Gryffindor not winning the house cup for once. "So what's your excuse this time? A troll stopped you and asked you round for tea?" Professor Higgins said sarcastically.

"Wow, how did you know?" Faye Pent replied equally sarcastically. The teacher scowled at her.

Higgins shot daggers out of her eyes at the student, "Just take your seat Miss Pent or I might have to put you in detention for disrupting the class."

Faye swung her satchel onto the nearest free desk with a bang, sending several pieces of parchment scattering, and sat down. The girl she had sat next to gave a horrified look and hurriedly shuffled her stool away from Faye. Faye just smiled at her in a fake sickly-sweet way and started to doodle cartoons of vampires on the desk in front of her.

A scrunched up piece of paper suddenly hit her on the back of her head.

And again.

And again, repeatedly hitting her until she swatted it out of the air and turned around to see who had sent the charmed paper her way.

Three rows back sat four boys, also in Gryffindor like her, laughing and jeering at her. Faye rolled her eyes at their pathetic attempt of annoying her and expertly flattened out the piece of paper before quickly folding it into an origami dragon, waving her wand over it and throwing it back in their direction.

As she started to draw on the desk again she heard a chorus of squeals of pain from behind her. Fire magic, she chuckled to herself, always works a treat.

"Pettigrew, Potter, Lupin and Black!" The teacher barked at them, "You have wands don't you eh? Then use them!" she flicked her wand at the dragon and it fell to the floor. Then glaring at the boys that had interrupted her demonstration of the dusting charm, "Right, would any of you four care to tell me who threw this at you?" The Marauderers remained silent as they cast uncertain looks at each other. "Would anybody else care to tell me who found fire magic so amusing that they had to try it out?" Faye failed to stifle her laughter, "Ah, of course, Pent did you do this?"

Faye put on a pretence of innocence, "Let me see, now why would I waste my time on sending a fire breathing origami dragon to these idiots here when I could be learning all about the wonderful world of dusting spells?"

The Professor pursed her lips, "Detention, tonight Miss Pent at six o'clock sharp and don't be late. You will be dusting the trophies, oh, without magic." Faye smiled politely as she excepted her punishment.

Sirius Black let out a laugh at Faye's misfortune of being caught, "Think it's funny Black? Then you can join her."

"But miss…" James, Remus and Peter interrupted, seeing the unfairness of Professor Higgins unnecessary punishment.

"You three can join them to since you seem so eager. Now can we _please_ get back to the lesson?" The teacher huffed and strode back to the front and continued to demonstrate the correct wand movements for the dusting charm.

"This will be fun." Faye mouthed to the boys who groaned and slumped onto their desks, she laughed again to herself.

The rest of the lesson passed rather uneventfully and when it had finished the class spilled out into the corridors eagerly. Faye swung her bag onto her back and picking up her folder she made her way out of the classroom, only to find her way blocked by four boys.

"Thanks a lot Pent, because of you we now have to spend our evening dusting trophies." Sirius said.

"It was my pleasure." Faye smiled back at him, "Now if you guys don't mind I've got to go and make someone else cry."

"We're not crying." Peter piped up. Faye ignored him.

"You know what you are Pent." Sirius continued.

"What, beautiful, intelligent, charming? Tell me, I'm just dying to know."

"I was thinking more along the lines of 'self-centred, cold hearted bitch' but whatever." He snapped back at her.

"You're such a charmer Black." She giggled in the fashion that so many of the girls in the school would do put under the charm of Sirius Black. Faye took a step towards him so that she was forced to look up to meet his eyes, "It's such a shame that you don't know what a barber is." Quick as anything she took a strand of his hair and tugged it sharply, pulling it from his head.

"Oh go hang yourself Pent." James intervened. Faye laughed the kind of laugh that you imagine witches from fairy tales to have and pushed her way through Peter and Lupin and continued on her way.

…...…………………………………………………………………………………..

Faye sat on the floor in the common room. She was re-plaiting her hair where the plaits had fallen out. She wore her waist length black hair down most of the time except for the four or five tiny plaits she always had in it. Some unkind sixth formers had told the first years that each plait represented a person that she had killed. A lie, but at least it kept the first years from her. It also kept some older students away, but they wouldn't ever admit it.

"Oh, ready for our date are you?" she called out as Remus, Sirius, James and Peter entered the room from a stairway the other side. "

"Shut your mouth Pent." Remus replied as people had looked to see who Faye was talking to.

"Oh, you're getting more attitude Lupin; they're a bad influence on you." She nodded at James and Sirius.

"Come on." James pushed Remus forwards and out of the portal and the rest of them followed. Faye followed.

"What do you want Pent? Can't you go annoy someone else for a change?" James didn't even bother to look around.

Faye pretended to look hurt, "But it's so much fun annoying you! Besides since we're all heading the same way I thought we could go together." She tucked one of her plaits behind her ear.

"Yeah, but that's only because you don't have any friends of your own isn't it?"

"Why would I want friends, especially if it meant having to hang around with freaks like you?"

They turned another corner and entered the trophy room. The caretaker was waiting for them and without a word of greeting handed them three dusters, some cloths and a bottle of polish.

"I thought we only had to dust them! Now we have to polish them too!" Remus complained.

The caretaker continued to take their wands before slumping off to find another student to prey on.

Faye grabbed a trophy and started to polish it slowly, pulling faces at her own reflection. When she had finished she grabbed a smaller one then picked up two more. Throwing one up in the air and then another she started to juggle with them.

"Faye!" Remus gasped in shock, "You're going to break them."

"Oh, scared you'll get in trouble. Hey, Black, toss me another." Sirius picked up a trophy but instead of throwing it to her, he threw it at her. It hit her hard in the face causing her to drop the other trophies and fall backwards on the floor, hitting her head on a shelf on the way down. James, Remus, Sirius and Peter laughed, then, realising she wasn't getting up, Sirius bent down next to her.

"Pent, hey Pent." He flicked her arm, he gained no reaction, his eyes widened in worry about what he might just have done, "Faye, are you okay?" Faye stayed slumped where she was. Sirius turned to the others, "God guys, I think I knocked her out." Suddenly Faye's green eyes cracked open and with her hand clenched into a fist she punched Sirius hard on the side of hisface.

"Ouch! Shit Pent, what was that for?" Sirius stood abruptly up and clutched the side of his face as a lump rapidly appeared there.

"That was for making me fall over and hit my head, which, if you're concerned, did hurt. All I was trying to do was make this detention a bit more fun and you go and try to knock me out."

"God, you punch hard." He muttered, "For a girl."

The rest of the detention was spent mainly in silence. Faye occasionally looked up from her work to glare at Sirius or mutter names under her breath.

After about an hour it began to get quite warm in the small room with all five of them in there. Sirius took his jacket off and hooked it over the back of a chair.

Faye's eyes gleamed with malice as she saw her chance and started to clean a trophy next to the chair, carefully placing the polish on the seat of the chair with the lid off. The she 'accidentally' gave the trophy another rub, perhaps to violently and knocked the bottle over with her elbow: all over Sirius's jacket.

"Whoops." She said innocently.

"What the heck have you done?" Sirius exploded. As he saw what had happened, "You've ruined it!" He rounded upon her. Sirius could get quite angry at times and the transformation wasn't pretty, in fact it was actually quite scary. Faye stood up and took a couple of hasty steps backwards. He was a lot taller than she was. Sirius walked up to her and grabbed her collar shaking it. "What did you do that for? Think it would be a bit of a laugh? Another way to make the detention a bit more fun, eh?" he had a lifted her off the floor now. The usually confident Faye had suddenly turned quiet.

Sirius felt Remus's restraining hand on his shoulder, "Mate, calm down. It's only a jacket. Put Pent back on the ground." Sirius dropped her and turned round to inspect his jacket.

"It's okay. I know a spell to get it out." Faye said quietly, feeling only ever so slightly ashamed of her actions.

Sirius turned around again, "You know I actually feel sorry for you." Faye looked at him questioningly, "You don't even know how to apologise properly. You've never apologised in your life. It's no wonder you don't have any friends. Your parents must be bloody proud of you."

Faye suddenly stormed out of the room.

"Hey the detention's not over yet!" James yelled after her, but she took no notice.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Hey, what did you think of the first chapter? Any good at all? Please review and tell me. Go on, make my day, no, make my week!

Luthien x


	2. A Bet Bound to go Wrong

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 2 – A bet gone wrong

Wednesday Lunchtime

Faye was sitting on the floor in the common room as she usually did. Her legs were crossed and her hair fell over her copy of 'A history of Hogwarts' as she graffitied the cover. She leaned back against the cold stone wall as someone slid down the wall beside her.

"You've really pissed Sirius off you know." It was Remus.

"Well that was the point, and he did ask for it." Faye answered.

"Yeah but you ruined his jacket, you'd already punched him why did you have to do that as well?" Faye didn't answer for a while.

"I did say to him that I knew how to get it out."

"Since when did you do things and then go fix them?"

"True, I probably wouldn't have told him it, well I might have eventually. If he'd asked nicely." She smirked. "Do you have a point to this speech or what?"

"Just telling you to stop bothering us with your immature jokes and leave us alone."

"Immature! You can't talk; you're the pranksters here, dropping your dung bombs in the classroom, exploding people's potions."

"Yeah but we just do it for a laugh, you seem to hold a personal grudge against everyone."

"I do not! Besides it's not as if you don't hold grudges against people, Snape for example."

"Well that slimly little git deserves everything coming to him. Besides, you've been bugging us for, well, forever."

"Oh, yeah and what makes you think you don't deserve it eh?" Remus spluttered trying to find the right words, "Urgh, I don't have time for this!" She stood up grabbing her textbook and walked out of the common room.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

Later, Wednesday Lunchtime

Sirius was leaning casually against a pillar in the courtyard. In front of him was a girl with long blonde hair and big green eyes. She was twirling her hair around her finger in a flirtatious way. He ran his fingers through his long hair.

"So, are you doing anything this evening then sweetie?" His eyes twinkled at the girl.

"Well, it all depends on what you're doing." the girl replied in what she obviously thought to be a seductive way.

"Me, well I'll be looking into some girls gorgeous green eyes and then I'll pull her towards me like this, "he hooked one hand around the girls waist and dragged her towards him. "Then I'll place my lips on hers." He leaned forward and made to kiss the girl when a retching sound came from behind him.

"Pent." He said without even turning round.

"Just wait a minute, I'll talk to you when I've finished being sick." Faye said.

"What do you want? Can't you leave me alone for one minute?"

"It's your irresistible charms you see." She said in a lovey-dovey voice.

"Glad you think they're so. Oh, by the way, I managed to get the stain out of my jacket, took me three hours of research in the library to find the spell though. Three hours which you'll have to pay me back Pent."

"And how would you have me do that Sirius?" Faye looked him in the eyes and pulled her jumper down off her shoulder slightly. The girl he had just been chatting up gave a shriek and stalked off towards a nearby group of girls. Faye covered her shoulder back up.

Sirius sighed, "Thank you, I was just about to kiss her you know."

"Then she should be thankful to me. Think what would happen if she had just realised how disgusting the thing she had just kissed was. Not to mention the diseases she could have picked up." Faye walked past Sirius, casually sending a shower of sparks and a loud bang towards a group of first years as she did so.

Sirius shook his head annoyed.

"What happened with that girl, scared her away?" James joked, approaching Sirius with his arm around Lily.

"No need, Pent did that for me. The witch."

"Hey!" said Lily

"Sorry. It's just like she lives to make our lives a living hell. Can't she just leave us alone? I mean…" but James and Lily didn't seem to be listening they seemed much more interested in each others mouths as they stood there snogging. "God, go get a room you guys."

"Sorry, just because you can't seem to get a girl doesn't mean that no one else can have one."

"What? I can get any girl I want!"

"Really?" James laughed

"Really! They find my charms irresistible." Sirius boasted.

"Are you willing to bet on that?"

"Yes!"

"Okay I bet you can't get…" James racked his brains to think of a girl.

"Go on, who?" Sirius taunted. James grinned evilly.

"I bet you my entire chocolate frog card collection, all 234 cards that you can't get Faye Pent to go out with you by the end of the month!"

Sirius's jaw dropped! "What? That's impossible! You can't make me do that? But I'm not sure she's even human let alone a girl! Bedsides I'd be better off dating the giant squid"

"You chicken?" James started flapping his arms and squawking. "Chick, chick, chick, chick chicken!" Lily hit him for looking like an idiot.

Sirius shook his head defeated, he had never lost a bet and he didn't want to start with this one, "Alright you're on. And if you win I'll do your homework for you for a month."

"Well good luck with that mate; you have no idea what you have just let yourself in for."

"Don't remind me." Sirius put his head in his hands. James and lily laughed at the thought of Sirius and Faye together. Two people that hated each other to death. One who was the schools biggest flirt and prankster the other seemingly the source of all evil. This was going to be interesting.

Unbeknown to James, Sirius and Lily someone had just overheard that conversation. Someone who after sending a spell at some first years had gone to the girls' toilet to splash her face with water. Now she was standing by the sink, underneath the open window which over looked the courtyard listening intently to what was being said.

"This could be fun." Faye chuckled to herself.


	3. Pink is such a lovely colour

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 3 – Pink is a lovely colour

Thursday Morning - Defence against the Dark Arts

The class room was hot and stuffy even though outside it was snowing. This was because today's lesson was about hexes to keep away Fire Pixies. This of course involved, yep you guessed it, fire.

There were three main fires burning at the front and each pupil had there own small almost 'Bunsen burner' type fire. They had to hex a pixie from one of the fires at the front (dodging small balls of fire that got shot their way from the pixies) and carry it in a heatproof glass jar back to their own fires where they could observe it. It really was pointless in most of the pupil's opinions. They had learnt this in their first year! Why where they doing it again?

"This is so dull." Faye said to no one it particular as she decided to try to turn her pixie's hair a hot pink colour for fun.

"I know, like we don't all know this already." Faye jumped as she heard the voice sound right next to her, she spun round to see who was talking to her; her spell missed this pixie.

"What do you want Sirius?" Faye snapped at him. The class erupted in laughter as James Potter's hair turned a most florescent shade of Pink.

"Do I need to have a reason to talk to you?"

"Yes, or you might just find that your jacket develops a more, err, permanent damage."

Sirius chuckled, "I like what you've done to James's hair by the way."

"Oh shit!" Faye said as she turned around and caught a glimpse of him.

"Faye Pent!" her teacher's voice sounded.

"I know, I know," Faye sighed, "Detention!"

* * *

Thursday Lunchtime

Faye scooped some more Pumpkin soup into her bowl and dunked her bread roll into it. People suddenly broke into whispers and giggles,

"Pent." A voice sounded behind her.

"Yes James," she replied meekly and turned around to face the four Marauderers.

"My hair is flaming pink!" he yelled.

"Yes it's a lovely colour don't you think? Personally I think it suits you."

"This is not funny Pent; get this spell off me now!"

"Uh, you wouldn't believe this but, uh." Pent tried to stop herself from laughing, "I don't know how to get it off."

James's face turned red, it clashed horribly with his hair.

"You're going to regret this Pent!" he stormed off with Remus and Peter leaving Sirius to whisper in her ear.

"Don't worry your pretty head darling; I'll protect you from him." Faye chocked on her soup, spraying it on the unfortunate fifth year opposite her, at the fact that Sirius had just called her 'darling', 'pretty' and said he would 'protect her'. This was freaky, he didn't compliment her, ever, it was against the basic rules of nature. She knew there about the bet but this, it was, well, disgusting. But if her plan was to work she'd have to play along

"Oh, I'm a big girl, I can look after myself." She said with a smile.

"I bet you can." He said and walked off. 'I bet you can' what was that supposed to mean? If this was what Sirius was like when he was trying to chat someone up, Faye felt sorry for most of the girls in the school. It was, frankly, embarrassing.

* * *

Thursday Afternoon - Astronomy

Faye walked into the classroom, late as usual. But wait; there was no one in it, the classroom was empty! She looked at the clock on the wall, she was ten minutes early. Her watch must be wrong. Frustrated at ruining her reputation for never being early to a lesson she slammed her things on the desk and kicked over a convenient jar that was on the floor. She sat on the desk swinging her legs back and forth.

"Well, fancy seeing you here."

"Bog off Sirius." Faye retorted. "What are you doing here anyway; you don't even take this class?"

"Just passing by." Faye snorted her disbelief. "What?"

"Like you can just 'pass by' the astronomy tower. What do you want? Are you stalking me or something?"

"Why would I do a thing like that? Although, I have to admit, your bum does a quite a cute little wiggle when you're walking."

Faye's face turned a deep shade of red; she had never had anyone say anything about her bum before and she wasn't sure quite how to take it. "Eww! You pervert!" Faye squealed and hurriedly leapt of the desk and, picking up her stuff, walked out of the classroom, taking care to cover her bum with her bag. She quickly decided that she wasn't going to go to Astronomy today.

* * *

Thursday Evening

"James, you are the worst friend ever." Sirius grumbled to his friend as he approached him.

"What's that? Me? Your worst friend ever? How lovely of you. You know you have an amazing way of cheering people up, especially since my hair is a lovely shade of pink at the moment."

"As I was saying," Sirius continued, "I hate Faye, I can't chat up someone who I hate, it just feels so wrong! Can't you take the bet back?" he pleaded.

"No can do, however if you're admitting defeat then I have a lovely six page essay on…"

"No way!" Sirius interrupted, "You'll see, I'll have her wanting me by the end of the week!"

"That soon? Are you changing the bet?"

"Why not?" then having second thoughts, "Well, make it two weeks."

"Not feeling too confident?"

"Would you?"

James laughed, "Sirius Black, Charmer of Women, Player of Pranks, Lord of Greasy Hair, defeated by a mere girl with plaits in her hair." He announced as if he was reading the newspaper heading.

"You know, you're surprisingly cocky for someone with pink hair." Sirius walked past him and, ruffling his hair, said, "Personally I think it suits you."

* * *

Later Thursday Evening

"Have you seen James Potter's hair?" a Ravenclaw said to her friend.

"Yeah, it's a magnificent colour of magenta. I think my aunt has a hat exactly that shade."

"Apparently, according to that girl in hufflepuff, the one with the large nose, well her friend has a cousin who has a friend who's in Potter's Defence against the Dark arts class, and she said that weirdo Pent got really angry because she's jealous of that Lily Evans, you know, the one James's going out with, and she secretly likes Potter and turned his hair that colour as some kind of revenge."

"Really?" said a third girl, "I don't know why Evans is still dating Potter. I wouldn't be. I'd be so embarrassed if I was her."

"Me too." That was the second girl again. "I mean, he looks like he's gay or something."

A furious Lily Evans suddenly appeared in front of them, stopping the gossip. "If I were you girls I'd stop gossiping and pay more attention to the fact that you can't block a leg locking curse." With that she shot the leg locking curse at them all before they even had a chance to reach for their wands.

Lily stalked off round the corner to bump into none other than the pinkhead himself, James Potter.

"Ah, Lily." He smiled, "I've been looking for you. I was wondering whether…"

"Oh, go see someone about your hair." Lily interrupted.

"I have but they said that it…" Lily had already pushed him out of her way, "Would only come out with time." He finished with a sigh. The whole school was laughing at him about his hair. Not Lily too…

* * *

Thank you for being patient. I've been on holiday and have only just had time to write this chapter. Please tell me what you think so far. 


	4. Listen to what I am saying

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 4 – Listen to what I am saying

Thursday Dinner

"So you can't get the spell off then, Prongs?" Remus asked James as he tucked into a second helping of Chicken Surprise (The surprise being some of the chicken was still alive, or at least appeared so under some sort of spell)

"No. I've asked all the teachers, I've visited the hospital wing about it, I mean I've even done research in the library! Nothing is gonna budge it!" James replied grumpily.

"Maybe we should call you Panther instead of Prongs!" Sirius laughed. The others gave him blank looks. "You know, that muggle film thing, 'The Pink Panther'." Sirius hinted.

"Right." Remus said slowly. "Since when did you watch muggle films anyway?"

"There was this girl…"

"Yeah of course there was a girl, there's always a girl. As much as this conversation is fascinating me can we get back to more pressing matters? For example: MY HAIR IS FLAMING PINK!" Everyone in the great hall turned around and looked at James, then, some giggling, they turned back to their dinners.

"You could try to use some muggle hair dye." Sirius suggested.

"Enough with the muggle thing you think that would work?" James realised Sirius's suggestion.

"Might do." Remus shrugged

"Right." James quickly pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and scribbled a hurried message on it.

"What you doing?" Sirius asked as James leapt up from his seat sending a chicken leg dancing towards a terrified Peter.

"Asking my parents if they can buy some hair dye!"

* * *

Friday Morning

Faye looked in the mirror at herself. Her hair was stuck to the side of her face as it dripped onto the tiles where she had just washed it. Whipping out her wand she muttered a spell to dry it and began her daily ritual of plaiting it again.

The bathroom door creaked open and a short brown haired girl walked in. "Is it true?" she said.

"What?" Faye said, slightly surprised that the girl was talking to her. Usually people did anything to avoid her.

"That you like James Potter."

Faye laughed hysterically and then suddenly stopped and asked, "What makes you think that?"

"Everybody thinks it." The girl stated. Faye raised an eyebrow,_ everybody thought that she liked James Potter_, was this the same world? "That's why you dyed his hair pink wasn't it?"

Now Faye was confused, "So I'd dye someone who I liked, hair pink?"

"So it is true!" the girl exclaimed.

"Of course it's not true." Faye fumed. But the girl didn't listen; she was too busy with what she had to say.

"Well, he's Lily's and he wouldn't be interested in you in a million years." Of course, this was Evans' best friend, "I'm warning you now, you stay away from James and Lily or you'll have me to answer to." The girl then drew herself up to her full height (which was about 5ft 1") and tried her best to look threatening.

"Oo, I'm scared!" Faye stepped towards her, "Girl, Potter is the biggest self-absorbed asshole I know, apart from Black." Then sarcastically added, "He's too good for me don't you think?" she smirked and walked out of the room.

* * *

Same Time Friday Morning

Meanwhile in the boy's bathroom James stood with his head over a sink trying to rub the hair dye into his hair that had arrived by owl earlier this morning. After finishing that he wandered over too a shower to wash off the excess dye. In hope he peeked at himself in a mirror.

Sirius, Peter and Remus were sitting alone in the common room when they heard a scream coming from the boy's bathroom. A moment later an angry James Potter appeared with only a towel around his waist screaming blue murder.

"It's still pink! I'm gonna kill Faye that…Where is she? Where is she?"

It was at that moment that Faye emerged from the girl's bathroom. Upon hearing James she immediately turned around to disappear back into the girl's dorm when, with surprising speed, James leapt up the stairs and grabbed her wrist. "Take it off! Take it off!" he screamed in her face.

Faye tried to pull her arm away but his grip was too strong. Instead she tried to push him away from her. This resulted in James falling backwards down the stairs, taking Faye with him. They tumbled over each other and James let go of Faye's arm. She hit the floor hard and cried out in pain. Arms grabbed her by the waist and pulled her upright.

"I thought you said you could handle him." Sirius grinned at her.

"And you said you'd protect me." She snapped back and she pulled herself out of his grasp.

Faye turned round to go back up the stairs before James tried to assault her again. She closed her eyes quickly and let out a horrified squeak.

Remus picked something up off the floor and handed it to James "Uh, here's your towel mate."

"This is too easy Sirius." James whispered so as to not let Mrs McGonagall hear him.

"What is?" he replied.

"This bet, you are never going to have Pent." He smirked.

"Yeah, well it does help if you don't go flashing at her. And if you think it's so easy why don't we raise the stakes a bit then." He said rising to the bait.

"How do you mean? And I dropped my towel, it was an accident.

"Sure. Who ever wins gets the other to be their personal slave for the rest of the year and who ever loses has to pay them 200 gold

"Done. Shake on it." James held out his hand. Sirius took it.

"Oh, since it comes naturally to you, the looser has to streak around the castle." Seeing the look on James's face as realised that he was still shaking Sirius's hand and therefore it was binding he added, "Yes, stark naked."

* * *

Friday Lunchtime

"Lily." Her best friend said to her over lunch, "You have heard the rumours haven't you?"

"Of course and you think I believe them?" she raised her eyebrows at her friend, "You know Pent, she's always had a thing against James and the Marauderers. That's why she turned his hair pink, nothing else."

"Yeah but I also heard that she pushed him down the stairs this morning, I mean she could have killed him!"

"You listen to gossip too much, you shouldn't believe everything that people say!"

"But Lil, I'm worried she might come after you!"

"What is she now? A mass murderer? She's not even in Slytherin! That alone should tell you something." Her friend's expression hadn't changed, "Get a grip!"

"I'm sorry! I just don't want to see you get hurt."

"And you think that if I stay with James that's seriously going to happen? Girl you're crazy! Listen, I can deal with Pent." Her friend mumbled something. Lily sighed, "Is this because you still think James isn't good enough for me?"

"Well he isn't, I've said it before Lil, he's a trouble maker and no good will come of him."

"Yeah, well, maybe if you took the time to get to know him Alice, you might understand why I like him." Their voices were getting more and more raised and people were starting to stare.

"I know all I need to know Lily Evans. He'll break your heart one day and when he does don't come crying to me."

"What?"

"Listen to what I am saying. I'm giving you a choice. Me or _him_. Make your decision." She stood up violently and stormed off out of the hall, leaving Lily spluttering at the table.

Her best friend or her first boyfriend.

Alice had always been there for her, she'd seen her through the good times and the bad. Maybe what she was asking her to do was wrong but she'd always known what the right thing to do in any situation was. Was she right now? Was James bad for her?

She loved James though. Maybe he was a trouble maker, but he was also clever and funny. She didn't want to hurt him, ever. He was her first boyfriend and she knew that it'd break his heart if she ended it.

But she had to make a decision. And you know what they say…


	5. Friends are Forever

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 5 – Friends are forever

Saturday Morning – The Common Room

Sirius was sat on the battered couch in the common room playing chess with Peter. Sirius was winning, not that it came as much of a surprise. Peter wasn't all that good at chess.

Faye walked in and sat down on the floor like she usually did.

"Your turn." Peter told him. Sirius half-heartedly commanded a piece to move across the board and then turned his attention back to the problem of Faye. _How to get her to go out with him_, the very idea of it repulsed him. She carefully undid one of the plaits in her hair and then deliberately stuck out her foot and tripped up a third year as he walked past.

"Check mate." Peter said delighted. Sirius made to make another move.

"Wait," he said when he realised what Peter had said, "You've won? How? You never win!" Peter beamed as if someone had just told him he was God.

Faye, who had overheard this conversation, said loudly, "Oh, poor Sirius, he lost to little Petey." She laughed, "Or perhaps I should be congratulating you; it's an impossible feat after all."

Sirius stood up and turned to face her, "Shut up Pent."

"Now, now, no need to go getting all touchy." She stood up as well.

"Who's…" then he remembered the bet, it probably wouldn't help if he went around insulting her. "What's it got to do with you anyway." He said calmly.

"Absolutely nothing." She replied, "In fact I couldn't care less how many times Peter beat your arse."

"So this is about my arse know is it?" he smirked and took a step towards her.

Faye groaned, "It always is with you isn't it?" she muttered.

"I know you like it secretly." He smirked again.

"Sure." And with an evil grin she whipped out her wand to perform an enlargement spell when he grabbed her hand mid flick and stopped the spell half way through. The result being Sirius' trousers ending up on the floor leaving him only in his school shirt and star patterned undies. The common room errupted in laughter.

Most people in Sirius' circumstances would have turned bright red and then gone and lived in hiding for the next three years. But Sirius just stood there with his trousers round his ankles. His face showed no sign of embarrassment, instead he said "You just couldn't wait to get my trousers off could you?"

Faye rolled her eyes at him "The sun doesn't shine out of your butt you know," then she smirked, "I have proof now." and she walked out of the common room leaving Sirius to pull up his trousers.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Saturday Lunchtime

Faye sat down at the table for lunch; today it was some kind of curry. The magic sky depicted grey clouds and snow; it was colder than usual for this time of the year. There was an air of excitement around the hall for in a months time it was Christmas, it seemed that the festivities were already starting.

Faye didn't like Christmas much. Christmas was a time to be happy and jolly. She never made any jokes, she never smiled nicely at people and not once had she ever sung a Christmas carol. It was also a time to be with friends and family. Faye didn't have any friends and she didn't go home to her family either. No one had ever given her a Christmas present and she had never given one back.

Watching everyone chatting and laughing together made her feel severely out of place sitting on her own. However she didn't envy any of them. As she had told Sirius, she didn't want friends. It wasn't as if she was ever lonely, she was surrounded by people all the time and it wasn't as if she didn't have anyone to talk to, she talked to everyone even if it was only to insult them.

But every year Christmas reminded her of all the things she could never have in her life. And every year she did her best to drown her sorrows by causing others misery.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Saturday Afternoon – The Common Room

Remus and Peter were sat round a small table talking to each other. Peter's nose was running quite rapidly and he wiped the mucus of his face earning himself a disgusted look from Remus who always kept a neatly folded handkerchief in his pocket. James came over and sat down next to them.

"Seriously Peter, you should learn to use a tissue. It's gross. I swear your sleeve is actually turning yellow green." He commented.

Peter smiled absentmindedly and stared into space.

"So, where's Padfoot?" Remus inquired.

"Last I saw he was off snogging some Ravenclaw chick."

"But I thought you had a bet?"

"Yeah, but he has his weaknesses, I knew he would never win, that's why I made it." He grinned. "Anyway, we've upped the bet!"

"You've what?" Remus groaned, he knew what his friends could be like when they had a bet.

At this point Faye entered the room through the portrait, of course managing to overhear yet another conversation that was not meant for her ears.

"Upped the bet, Sirius may as well say goodbye to his entire social standings right now. We all know he'll never get Faye." James was acting as if he'd already won the bet. He was such a big headed self-certain arse.

Faye knew he would of course, Sirius was going down.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Early Saturday Evening – The Common Room

Lily watched him sitting there, laughing and joking with his friends. How she didn't want that smile to ever go away.

But Alice was right, they weren't right together, they were completely different people.

Yet still Lily cherished every moment with him. It was like she couldn't even breathe without him.

However she knew she had to do it, and the sooner she thought the better. It was like her mother had always told her 'Friends are forever, but boyfriends come and go'. It wasn't as if they were ever going to get married and have children.

Tears started to spring to her green eyes.

She took several tentative steps towards him, "James," she whispered, how she would miss that name, it sounded so perfect to her, "We have to talk," she glanced around at the people watching them, "In private…"

…………………………………………………………………………………………

AN: Sorry this chapter wasn't that interesting guys, it also took me ages to write. But it was sort of vital for the next chapter to make sense so I had to do it.

Thanks to Freckles.x, Mood-Chan, ClumsyElf (x2), madpoet08, azorianxxx and Captain Waters for reviewing. You all get a marauderer of your choice for an hour to do whatever you please with. Enjoy!


	6. Breakdown

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 6 – Breakdown

Sunday morning 

Checking that no one was coming down the corridor, Faye opened the letter she'd received at breakfast and scowled at it for several minutes before carefully tearing it up into tiny pieces with her hands and setting light to each piece individually. She then picked up her bag from its place beside her and swung it over her shoulder.

She made her way towards the common room to pick up her transfiguration textbook. She approached the portrait of the fat lady finding her busy talking to her friend Violet. Faye coughed loudly to get herself noticed. The fat lady turned around.

"Ooh, I wouldn't go in there if I was you dear. There's been a bit of a …"

"Chocolate frogs." Faye interrupted with the password and a disinterested face.

"I really wouldn't if I was you…"

"Just open it. Or do you want me to get Dumbledore again?" she questioned. The fat lady pursed her lips and Violet tutted and muttered something about 'young people these days'. But the portrait swung open allowing Faye to enter.

As soon as she entered the common room she heard the sound of someone sobbing quietly to them self, also there were several consoling voices, all very familiar. In the corner of the room was a hunched figure crying his eyes out, his face buried in his arms; James. Remus stood behind him with a comforting hand placed on his shoulder. Peter stood a couple of paces away looking rather nervous and fidgety; no different than usual. Sirius was crouched in front of James saying something she couldn't quite catch obviously meant to soothe him.

"Well, well, well," Faye grinned evilly, "What do we have here? James Potter crying? Where's a camera when you need one."

"Go away Pent." Sirius said calmly.

"Make me." She replied smartly.

Sirius stood up, "Pent, I'm warning you. Go. Away."

Faye took several steps forward, her curiosity getting the better of her. "What's wrong with him anyway?" she asked.

Sirius looked unsurely at James; he nodded in a way of confirmation, gathering she'd find out soon enough anyway.

"Lily's dumped him." Sirius said quietly. James broke down into a new episode of sobs at these words.

Faye gasped, "Oh no, you poor soul!" she snorted, "Like I care." Sirius took a step towards her, looking as if he wanted to Avada her there and then, but James got in first and spun round to face her.

His eyes were red and blotchy from both crying and no sleep. He was trembling with anger.

"Just because you don't know what love is Pent doesn't mean you can pick on people who do."

Faye frowned defensively and stepped towards him, "What did you say?"

"I said, I don't think you even know what love is. No one has ever loved you. No one will ever love you. You're so self-centred; you don't give a shit about anyone else do you?"

His face was only inches from hers.

"Let me explain what love is then. Love is when you see someone and your heart skips a beat. Love is when you would do anything to stop some from being hurt. Love is when you'd die for someone. Love is when they'd die for you too."

James was really getting into his stride now.

"Your parents don't even love you do they? You never go home at Christmas or Easter to see them and you can't even use the excuse that they're dead can you? But then again they might as well be to you. _You_ might as well be dead to them. They don't love you. Nobody loves _you_."

The words were slow and drawn out, trying to cause as much pain as possible.

"You're completely alone. You'll never be loved as long as you live, Pent. You never have been and never will be loved. Do you hear me? Never. Be. Loved." He spat out each word as if it were poison in his mouth.

Faye's face had gone completely white. She didn't say a word, her mouth stayed firmly closed. The marauderers looked at her almost expectantly. James was still seething with anger.

Slowly a tear rolled out of her eye and slid silently down her cheek. No one had ever seen Faye cry before. As far as they were concerned she had no emotions. Crying contradicted that.

She made no effort to wipe the tear away. It reached her chin and dripped off onto the floor. Slowly she turned and walked towards the stairs to the dormitories. She walked faster and then faster again, as she reached the foot of the stairs she almost broke into a run up them. Wanting to get away from what had just happened as quickly as possible. Another tear fell from her face.

She ran to the girl's bathroom where she locked the door. She faced herself in the mirror. Tears were streaming in silence down her face.

James had gone too far that time.

He had hurt her, something no one had done for years.

She had wrapped herself up in her protective layer of insults for a reason. And James Potter had ignored that. He had hurt her.

What hurt the most was that everything he had said was true. Every single word.

_No one has ever loved you. _She couldn't remember a time when she had been loved. Maybe she had been once but that was a very long time ago.

_You're so self-centred; you don't give a shit about anyone else do you? _She had once. Once she had cared so much about people. But she didn't want to think about what that had done.

_Love is when you'd die for someone. Love is when they'd die for you too._ No one would die for her. Because of her, but for her. No one would even notice if she died. In fact, if anything, they'd be happy.

_Your parents don't even love you._ That was all too true. She couldn't even think about that. She had always managed to block it out. Avoid it. She didn't think about her parents.

_You never have been and never will be loved._

Faye screamed at herself and shot a spell at the mirror cracking it. She punched a sink causing her knuckle to break and blood to drip onto the floor from her hand. She didn't even notice the pain.

She caught her reflection in another mirror. How stupid she looked. She wasn't pretty. There wasn't anything memorable about her face.

Her hair was plain ridiculous. It was so long and she'd tied into these stupid fiddly plaits. Why? No one would ever say to her that her hair looked nice, why make the effort?

She wanted rid of them. She didn't want them on her head anymore. She drew her wand and cut them. One, two, three, four. They fell to the floor. But she didn't stop there. She grabbed another lock of hair, slicing through it. And another. And another.

She cut and cut and cut until her hair was only an inch long and stuck out like a dandelion about her head.

She let go of her wand, watching it as it clattered to the ground. Then she fell down, sobbing un-shamefully. The tiled floor was cold on her side. She curled up in the foetal position and screamed, clutching at her newly shaven head.

_Do you hear me? Never. Be. Loved._

…………………………………………………………………………………………

James stared as she disappeared up the stairs. He done it, he'd cracked Faye. Hadn't he? What did that mean then? She hadn't said anything back to him, he was sure that he'd even seen a tear in her eye. He thought that this should make him feel better but it didn't. He didn't like Faye but shouting at her like that hadn't helped him and Lily back together. He didn't feel satisfaction of any kind.

"Sirius…" he said uncertainly

"What happened there?" his best friend replied shocked.

"I'm…I'm not sure." James forgot about Lily for a second.

"Did she…"Sirius asked

"I think so…"

"Shit, that can't be good."

"I don't think that she'll…I mean…" Remus tried to voice his thoughts, "Who knows what she'll do?" he gave in.

"This isn't good." Sirius agreed.

"I'm taking it your bets off now." Remus stated hopefully.

Sirius grinned, "No marauderer ever cancels a bet. Not even when there's no chance of winning."

"So you admit it then?" James smiled. However his face soon dropped and his lips formed the word Lily. He may win the bet but he'd lost her.

………………………………………………………………………………………

Sunday Afternoon – Girl's Bathroom

It was late afternoon when Faye uncurled herself from her position on the floor. She felt stiff and strange; she hadn't cried in so long it felt alien to do so.

Standing up she caught a reflection of herself in the mirror. Looking down she saw her hair on the floor in a pile. With a flick of her wand she burned it. It smelt horrible but at least it wasn't there as a reminder of what she had just done.

Feeling as if she'd just made a terrible mistake she tried to make her hair a bit more even. By the time she was finished it looked passable.

James Potter. She turned her thoughts to him. It was his entire fault.

He was going to pay for this, even if it meant she would have to let Sirius go. It was time to break Potter, and if anyone got in the way she was going to bring them down too.

………………………………………………………………………………………

A/N: Ooh. Faye has vengeance in mind. Guessed what she's planning? And Lily's dumped him. Life is definitely not looking too good for James.

Now please press the little review button, go on, make my day.


	7. Detention all round

The sixth form Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs (that still took the subject) had a Quidditch lesson that morning, so, after breakfast they picked up their kits and headed outside to the pitch

Twisting love for a Laugh

Chapter 7 – Detention all round

Monday Morning

"Faye." Mrs Professor stated for the third time. The entire class was deathly silent around her; no one even dared to breathe. Their eyes were all glued to the back of the classroom where the said student was standing regarding the teacher with a steely gaze.

"Faye." The fourth time. Professor McGonagall opened her mouth, almost visibly thinking of something to say to her pupil, she closed it again. Opening it once more she managed, "It's nice to see you Faye."

"As always it's a pleasure to come to your lesson too." Faye said in reply, smirking only slightly. She took a seat near the back of the classroom next to a rather dodgy looking Ravenclaw. McGonagall took this as a hint to move on with the lesson and turned towards the blackboard and proceeded to write upon it the method of transfiguring a bean into a blackbird.

One by one the heads of the class slowly turned back towards the front from where their eyes had been glued to Faye's new hair style. The marauderers were the last to look away. Sirius and Remus' mouths hung open in shock, wondering if it was James that had caused this new and surprising lack of hair. James looked very pale; his eyes were more or less wide with fear, wondering if it was him that had caused Faye to practically shave her own head.

Faye continued to look straight at the board in front of her, wearing a –I'm-only-really-pretending-to-look-interested-in-this- expression on her face.

"Right then, I want you all to all take a bean from the front and, following these steps carefully, try to transfigure it into a blackbird. I am warning you now, do not let the birds fly loose once you have transfigured them, I do not want birds flying around the room!" professor McGonagall told the class sternly.

The students made their way to the front in a, er, orderly queue and collected their beans. Trying to jab and wave their wands they proceeded to attempt to change the beans into birds.

The first to master the spell was a Ravenclaw called Adrian Stubbs. Mrs McGonagall hurried over to his desk with words of praise. After about half an hour most people had managed to master the spell. Faye hadn't even attempted to. She gazed in a bored manner at the bean in front of her before carefully placing her thumb and middle finger together, aiming, and flicking the bean off of her desk.

It hit Peter in the back of the neck, causing him to jump and prod the bean violently with his wand. It then burst into flames, not good when resting on a wooden desk. He row of desks soon were all in flames. Peter stood mesmerized by the flames before being pulled back by Remus so that he too wouldn't become part of the bonfire.

"You have wands don't you?" Professor McGonagall screeched at the boys, "Then use them!" she shot a jet of water over the fire from her wand and the marauderers looked on in dismay at smouldering ruins of the desks.

"Who is responsible for this?" she tapped her foot impatiently, "Come on now, desks don't just catch fire of their own accord. Who is responsible?" The marauderers looked at each other, none of them had seen the bean hit Peter, they had only seen Peter jab his own bean and set fire to it. They weren't about to dob in a friend. "Well?" McGonagall asked for the last time. She sighed, "Detention for all of you then, tonight at 7.30, my office."

"But I've got Quidditch practise!" James protested. McGonagall pursed her lips, she wanted her house to win the Quidditch cup this year and to do that they had to practise.

"Very well, make it tomorrow night then." James and Sirius cheered in relief, "Now Peter," she turned to the said boy, "Have you got any burns?" Peter held out his arm showing a painful looking burn along it from the fire, "Right, I'll just take you down to the hospital wing. The rest of you," she turned to face the rest of the class, "Stay right here and continue with the spell, any more accidents and you can consult one of my colleagues next door. " Taking Peter by the arm (the non-burned one) she swiftly led him out of the door.

Everyone turned back to their desks, apart from the marauderers who quickly found that they had none. A general murmur of chattering was heard now that Professor McGonagall had left the room. The students continued to try and change their beans into birds, not wanting to have to do it for extra homework, they had enough to be doing as it was.

Faye stared into space, her bean untouched on her desk. The boy next to her, Mike Leach, smirked at his mates behind him before turning to Faye.

"What's the matter, your brain gone with your hair?" he called out loudly. She didn't move. "Look at me when I'm talking to you!" he yelled louder. The class went silent, what was this boy thinking? No one said stuff like that to Faye. "I said look at me!" he screeched getting annoyed that she wasn't responding to his taunts and therefore making him look stupid instead of her.

The marauderers watched this scene from the other side of the classroom. Remus stood up, worried that Faye, well, he wasn't quite sure why he was worried about Faye. Maybe it was because he was certain she was going to do something stupid or maybe he was worried she wasn't going to do anything at all. In a way that was more frightening. He may not like Faye at all but he knew that it's better the devil you know than the devil you don't.

Mike reached for her shoulder to pull her round to face him. As his hand touched her shoulder she spun round, her hand clenching into a fist as it flew through the air, and hit him square in the face.

There was a sickening crunch of bones as her hand made contact and he fell backwards ungracefully from his stool and onto the floor. Blood issued from his nose in a steady stream. He reached a hand up to touch it and withdrew it with a cry of pain. "You bitch." He spat.

Drawing his wand he pointed it at her, "Rictusempera!" he cried. A jolt of red poured from the wand tip flying quicker than you could see at Faye. But almost a split-second after Mike had fired his spell the counter curse came. But not from Faye, from Remus who had suddenly appeared beside her.

The class looked in confusion at him. Or in Mike's cause anger, but he didn't try to strike again, Remus' eyes on him told him that would not be a smart move. The marauderers cast anxious glances at each other.

But before they could ask any of the questions that had appeared in their heads Professor McGonagall entered the room. Her sharp eyes darted about the scene in front of her.

"What in Merlin's name is going on here today?" she seethed, "I leave you for two minutes and all hell breaks loose. Who is responsible?" she asked although she already had a pretty good idea who was.

"It was her." Mike accused, pointing at Faye. "She punched me."

McGonagall looked at Faye, not even bothering to ask her side of the story, "Detention on Tuesday." She barked at her. "You can join these boys"She motioned to three Marauders behind her. Then she looked at the boy beside her. "Remus?" she questioned, "I certainly hope you didn't participate in this!" Remus looked at the floor, not knowing what to say, not quite understanding it himself. The professor tutted, "I'm disappointed in you Remus. You'll have to go to detention too."

"I already have a detention. With Sirius, James and Peter"

"I though this year that you'd made a real effort to stay out of trouble but now, I'm really am disappointed in you. However I'll let you off this once seeing as you already happen to have one detention. Don't let anything like this happen again or I won't be so kind"

She looked once more at Mike who was still on the floor, "Remus, take this boy to the hospital wing. I don't trust this class on their' own anymore."

"I can walk myself." Mike growled.

McGonagall raised her eyebrows and regarded him carefully, "Very well Leach. But straight to the hospital wing, I shall be checking with Madame Pomfrey." The boy scuttled off out of the door.

"Right, I want all this mess cleaned up by the end of the lesson. Lupin and Pent get the blood of the floor. Pettigrew, Black and Potter you can see the caretaker after school about some new desks. You will have to pay for them though and a letter will be sent to your parents." She ordered before taking a deep breath to calm herself. Sirius looked ready to faint at the thought of a letter being sent home to his parents; James smiled sympathetically at him and rested a hand on his shoulder.

Faye avoided eye contact with anyone for the rest of the lesson, especially Remus.

The bell rang for the end of the lesson. She picked up her bag and headed for the door. She paused for a moment by Remus, where he had returned to his desk, then continued her way to the door, leaving Remus staring after her, a troubled look on his face.


	8. Who died?

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 8 – Who died?

Monday Interval 

James leant back against the trunk of the tree, letting his head fall against the wood. Below him, the Lake glittered in the pale, winter sunlight. The sky was pure blue today, no clouds to block out the light. It was not so cold any more either but James still wore his scarf wrapped tightly around his neck.

Along the banks of the lake, students were spread out in various small groups, enjoying their lunch break and relaxing or, in the case of younger and more active students, playing games.

Amongst them were Lily and her best friend Alice. Alice was lying on the grass, lounging in the sunlight and casually flirting with some of the guys that were there.

Lily looked up to see James sitting there. She missed him so much. But would she have missed Alice more? She could not say.

James saw Lily looking at him. He gulped, was she going to come and talk to him? Was she going to apologise for what she had said? Was she going to ask if they wanted to date again?

Alice called over to Lily as she stood up and Lily tore her eyes away from James. The two girls made their way along the path back towards the castle, with a group of three Ravenclaw boys in tow.

James let his head flop forward. She did not care anymore, did she? He slowly stood up and walked away from the tree, back towards the castle.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

The Marauder's Dormitory – Monday late interval

James entered the dormitory and flopped down on his bed, shoving his head under his pillow.

"Wow, who died?" Sirius commented. Remus smacked him. "Ow! What did I do? What did I do?"

"Insensitive!" Remus muttered. "Lily," he whispered.

"Oh!" Sirius said, perhaps a bit too loudly.

"Anyway, what lesson have we got now?" Remus fished his timetable from his bag. "Care of Magical creatures."

"Well that's all of us, apart from Peter; he dropped that after the whole Hippogriff incident," Sirius mentioned matter-of-factly. Peter shuddered violently at the memory. Remus tutted loudly.

"What this time?"

"You're being insensitive again!"

"Yeah, well, you're acting like James' mother again!" Remus threw a pillow at him. Sirius chucked one back.

"Guys, guys! Let's just go okay, before we're late." James rolled himself off of his bed and picked up his school bag. Remus and Sirius followed suit, Peter stayed where he was sitting in the corner.

They arrived in the main entrance in time to see Faye Pent slipping out through the door.

"Nice job you did of Leach's nose, Faye," Sirius called after her.

"First name terms are we now?" Remus muttered. "James you might loose the bet," he said sarcastically.

"Thanks." Faye turned towards them briefly as if to say something more, it seemed she changed her mind and continued on her way.

"Did we just have an encounter with Pent and not get insulted once?" James asked in wonder.

"Yeah. See Prongs, my irresistible charms are working," Sirius grinned.

James scoffed, "What charms?"

………………………………………………………………………………………….

Care of Magical Creatures Lesson 

The class – which was made up of Gryffindors and Slytherins - was gathered around a large, fenced off pen. Professor Maldonado strode up to the students and clapped loudly to gain their attention.

"Today class, we are going to be working with some extraordinary animals. I have a few safety precautions that should be undertaken first. You must all wear these gloves," he lifted a box of stout leather gloves up, "and no one is to do anything without my say so. Take your gloves now." The students filed up to take their pair of gloves and then assembled once more. "I also need you to pair up. Quickly now, then we can get onto some real work."

Sirius, James and Remus looked at each other.

"I'm going with Moony. He get's me good grades." James bagged the partnership.

"No way mate. Not after what happened with you, Peter and that Hippogriff," Remus refused.

"Then I'm going with you," Sirius said. James glared at him. "Hey, I want good grades too."

"I'm not going with you either."

"Why not?" Sirius whined.

"Because we've already established that you are an insensitive prick."

"That's harsh Moony, really harsh. Well I'm going with James then."

"Yes. At least _someone_ appreciates me." James stuck his tongue out at Remus.

"Fine. I'll go with…" Remus looked around for someone to go with but everyone was already in pairs. He sighed and headed over to Professor Maldonado. "Sir, I don't have a partner."

The teacher frowned at him. "Hmm, there was an even number in the class so that means that there must be someone left on their own. Ah," He spotted someone. "There's Pent on her own. Go with her. Hurry up now!" he added, when Remus didn't move. He sighed even louder and walked towards the girl.

"Pent," Remus greeted Faye reluctantly.

"Lupin," She replied vaguely surprised that the Marauder had talked to her.

"I have to go with you," Remus explained. Faye just shrugged her shoulders in reply and continued to examine her nail.

"Right, that's sorted," the teacher boomed. "Let's get on with the lesson. Today we are working with Thestrals. Who can tell me what a Thestral is?"

Remus' hand shot up. "Sir, a Thestral is a creature that can only be seen by those who have witnessed someone die. They are said to be skeletal creatures with large leathery wings."

"Good, Lupin. 10 points to Gryffindor. Now some of you may know that Thestrals are the creatures we, at Hogwarts, employ to pull the carriages. Now, as Mr Lupin correctly said, they can only be seen by some people. This means that for those of you who can't see them, you will have to be especially careful. The Thestrals can become angry and dangerous if they feel threatened." He paused to look into the faces of his students. "Now, I will take you in your pairs over to a Thestral. They are tied up to the rail in the stables. Today you will learn how to groom them, because as a vaguely domesticated animal it is important that we take care of them properly and a regular grooming session will help prevent things like biting sand mites from getting in their fur. Skin. Bones? Anyway, follow me everyone this way. And be quiet!"

The students followed Professor Maldonado to the stables where the creatures were tied up. To most it looked like a group of harnesses suspended around a piece of air. But to a few it was full of leathery winged creatures with bones sticking out where flesh should be. Those who could see the Thestrals shivered in horror, they were not exactly the prettiest of creatures.

Professor Maldonado looked around quickly to check that no one had fainted from fright. "Right class, in your pairs I want you to walk round to the other side of the railings. Then I want you to just gently pat the Thestral on the nose. We won't go much further than that today. This lesson is just an introduction."

Remus and Faye walked round the other side of the railings and came to a stop at the end stall where a Thestral was tied.

He saw the harness seemingly hanging in mid air and nervously reached out his hand slowly towards it. His hand met with soft skin but hard bone lay beneath it. He let his hand rest on the invisible creature for a while before moving his hand slowly down what he assumed was the creature's nose. The creature tossed his head and snorted loudly, Remus withdrew his hand quickly smiling with the excitement of touching a Thestral.

He turned to Faye. "That's weird that is I mean you can – ," he stopped seeing Faye's glazed over face, emotionless yet somehow conveying almost every emotion he knew, "- Pent? Are you alright?" He saw where she was staring and understood. "You can see them can't you?" she nodded slowly. Remus turned to look at the Thestral. "Are they like they're described?" he asked quietly.

She paused, "They're like fear. But it's not them you're afraid of," her eyes narrowed. "It's the memories they bring with them."

Remus saw something flash in her eyes, but what it was he was not sure. "I don't want to be inconsiderate, but who did you see … die?"

She lifted her chin then and her eyes met his with a look so cold and so full of hatred unfathomable, Remus almost stepped backwards. But he held his ground as she pursed her lips before opening them again and uttering two words.

"My brother."

………………………………………………………………………………………….

A/N: Okay, sorry it took me sooo long to update, even longer than last time. But I think I know what's happening now so I should be updating more regularly, that's if my teachers don't try to drown me with seas of homework.

To Captain Waters: I put in lots of metaphorical-or-whatever-they-were-called-thingies in the first section for Mr C (remember the whole apron thing?) I'll give you (or anyone else for that matter if they actually understand what I'm going on about) a metaphorical packet of muffins if you can work them out :).

Thanks to Clumsyelf, Captain Waters, Lady Livia, FayTheLioness, Ballad.AsuCaga and madpoet08. You're all awesome. Hey is that word American? Pah, I don't care. Please review anyhoo because your all utterly awesome.


	9. Promise you won't tell

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 9 – Promise you won't tell

_The small girl clung onto her mother's dress, hiding behind her legs and pulling the material around her so she wouldn't be seen. Her dark hair was pinned up away from her pretty little face with a small red bow and her thumb was shoved firmly in her mouth._

"_Come on out now dear. Don't be shy." Her mother said firmly to her and sidestepped so that the little girl was visible. The girl stood her ground not wishing to embarrass her mother further but kept her eyes fixed to the floor._

"_Now say hello to the nice people." Her mother told her, her voice kind but firm. The girl pulled her thumb out of her mouth mumbled a quick greeting before putting it back in._

_The other woman, who was standing opposite her own mother, spoke now, "How you've grown!" she exclaimed lifting up the girls chin to get a better look at her face. The child simply took a step back out of reach. "The last time I saw you, you couldn't have been more than two, is that right? Now look at you! All grown up. How old is she now?"_

"_Six."_

"_I'm seven next week." The girl stated indignantly. The two women laughed in their grown up way._

"_I'm sorry, I hope you don't mind. I brought my son with me." She indicated at a boy, around the same age as the girl, who had dark hair. The boy simply scowled and shoved his hands deeper into his pockets._

"_No, no, the more the merrier, I say. Besides it will be someone for my two to play with. You three kids go off and play then whilst us grown ups go and talk." She smiled at the children. "Go on then." The two women linked arms and walked off leaving the three children standing in the hallway._

"_NO!" a tiny boy shrieked, not wanting his mother to go away and leave him there with this strange looking boy. The girl caught his hand and stopped him from running after her._

_After struggling against her grip for a while the boy stood still. "What do we do now Faye?" the tiny boy whispered in his big sister's ear. He slid his thumb into his mouth, just like his sister did._

_Faye gave her brothers hand an encouraging squeeze. He was even worse when it came to meeting new people but maybe that was down to the fact that he was almost two years younger. "We'll be nice to this boy now Nolan. Let's see if he wants to play any games." _

_Nolan sniffed and nodded, "I'm so glad I have a sister like you Faye."_

_She smiled "And I'm glad I have a brother like you. Don't' worry, we'll be fine together. I'll look after you." _

_She turned to the boy and said louder yet still politely, "What games do you like playing?" _

"_Hide and seek." The boy said sharply. "Your on." He then demanded. "We'll hide." With that he grabbed her brother's other hand and pulled him away and up a stairway before either of the siblings could protest. "Oh, and count all the way to 200…"_

…………………………………………………………………………………………

"I'm sorry." Remus said softly, almost wishing he hadn't dared to ask the question in the first place, he felt suddenly out of place and sort of vulnerable.

"Why?" Faye said bitterly, "You didn't kill him." She looked to the floor then reached up and stroked the neck of the Thestral gently. "You know, everyone thinks that there really scary, Thestrals. Almost like omens of death."

"Except that's the Grimm." Remus laughed softly.

Faye smiled slightly, "What I mean is that they're really not all that bad. If you take the time to get to know them."

At that moment Professor Maldonado called for the class to end and told them all to research Thestrals in their Textbooks and write a page long fact file about them for the next lesson.

Faye didn't stop to say goodbye to Remus. She walked out of the stables, picked up her back and left.

With a smile dancing on her face.

Remus made his way over to where Sirius and James were having an argument.

"How could you loose it?" James questioned. Despairingly.

"They're invisible Prongs. I.N.V.I.S.I.B.L.E. It makes them hard to see!"

"Yes, but it was tied up, securely. How could you 'accidentally' untie the rope?"

Remus shook his head in despair too. "Guys, let's just get out of here before Professor M. finds out the Thestral's missing too."

"Oh, Hi Remus. Didn't see you standing there. How was it with the angel from the deep reaches from hell?" James noticed Remus standing there.

"Hey, that's my future Girlfriend you're talking about!"

"As if Padfoot. My bet. I will win it."

"No you won't."

"Yes I will."

"No you won't."

"It was okay actually." Remus said.

"No you w- WHAT???" James yelled.

"It was okay." Remus repeated. "She's not that bad."

James rushed up to Remus and placed the back of his hand on his forehead. "Are you ill or something? Maybe you have a fever. I think we need to take you to the hospital wing." He gabbled.

"There's something about her I need to tell you. But you need to promise that you won't tell anyone about it. Ever." He added. The two boys looked at each other then nodded. "Alright, we need to go somewhere we won't be over heard…"

………………………………………………………………………………………...

End of Interval

Lily needed to get away. She didn't care where really; she just needed to get away for a moment. Alice was driving her crazy. She seemed to have forgotten all about Lily's recent break up with James and was being quite insensitive about the whole subject. Maybe Lily had made the wrong decision about James. Maybe she should have told Alice to get stuffed because she sure wasn't feeling the benefit of having her as a friend at the moment.

But she had seen James laughing with Sirius and Remus just that morning. If that was so then he couldn't have loved her that much. Not as much as she loved him anyway. Besides, he wouldn't ever take her back.

But there was one place he'd shown her that could be of some use. A secret passage that no one used. She could go there for a few minutes to think clearly. The Marauders wouldn't be using it either. She knew their timetables and they all had lessons now.

She had lessons too; Astronomy. It wasn't like her to skip a class but she didn't think she'd concentrate anyway, so she might as well try to clear her head.

She made her way down two flights of stairs and along the corridor before stopping in front of the one-eyed witch. She whispered the password so that no one could hear her if they happened to be near and slid through the secret passage.

"Lumos." She whispered and the tunnel filled with light. She made her way along it a little before coming to a halt where it had partly collapsed and there was a convenient boulder to sit on. She leant back against the damp stone and let her eyes close and her thoughts clear.

When her eyes opened again it was completely dark, she'd fallen asleep. But for how long had she been there? What time was it now? Had people noticed she was missing yet? She thought that she had better get out of there quickly and was about to cast the Lumos spell again when she heard voices.

Lily pressed herself against the tunnel wall so that whoever was coming wouldn't see her and might pass her by unnoticed. But the footsteps stopped before they reached her and she heard an unmistakable voice.

"What is it Moony?" James. "Surely it can't be that important?"

"Okay, I'll tell you if you'll shut up for a minute and listen." When James fell silent Remus spoke again. "Promise you won't tell?" He said sternly once more James nodded his head in exasperation. "Faye's brother died." Silence met his statement.

"And? Do I look like I care?" James said.

"It explains so much don't you see!" Remus stated again adamant that this information was vital.

"Erm, no." James shook his head.

"This is why she was always so nasty to everyone! She's had bad experiences!"

"So? Just because you've had bad experiences doesn't mean that you have to become a bad person. Look at Sirius. He hasn't exactly had the best time ever has he?"

"No, but things effect people differently. And besides, old Padfoot here has his friends around him to look after him and make sure he stays on track. Faye doesn't have any friends and I don't know about family. She stays here for Christmas and Easter Holidays so maybe their dead too." Remus pressed on with his explanation.

"So you're expecting us to just forgive her then?"

"I didn't say that."

"So what did you say? Because I couldn't care less about what happed or happens to Faye."

"That's harsh James." Sirius spoke for the first time. "I don't know what it's like to have everyone say that don't care about you but when people have said that it hurts. My own family turned their back on me. In Faye's case I don't think anyone was ever there to turn their backs on her. You've got to feel slightly sorry for her."

"What, so suddenly we're the Faye appreciation club are we? It doesn't change anything does it? She's still the bitch she always was. Oh forget it guys, if you want to become her new best friends that's fine with me."

Lily heard footsteps walking away and guessed they were James'. How she wanted to rush after him and tell him that she would always be his friend, but she couldn't. She had to stay there. Remus had said he didn't want anyone lese to know that Faye's brother had died and that probably included her.

Remus and Sirius stayed for a few more minutes before they too decided to leave. When Lily was sure no one was coming back she stood up walked out. Silently promising never to tell anyone what she had just heard.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

A/N: Ha, I knew awesome was an American word, I'm just so darn clever. Well, maybe not. But the point is that reviewing is good. To all those that reviewed you earn yourself marshmallows roasted by dragon's fire (can't believe that wasn't allowed in a children's book!). Believe me they are v. tasty. (not the book, the 'mallows)

Thanks to CuriosityKils, madpoet08, hippiechix2, Sterling Fire Kittie, ClumsyElf, and Ballad.AsuCaga. A rather large thank you goes to ClumsyElf and madpoet08 because I've just realised how dedicated they are in reviewing this. So they get extra marshmallows. Keep reviewing guys!

Thanks to my beta Captain Waters and get well soon! (Note this chapter hasn't been betad because my beta is ill )


	10. Everyone ready for this?

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 10 – Everyone ready for this?

Monday Dinner time

Sirius and Remus headed to the Hall for lunch. James had stormed off somewhere after their little chat. Neither Remus nor Sirius could understand why he was so upset about it all. It wasn't as if it really affected them in any major way. They just put it down to the fact that he was still distraught over Lily. 

They sat down at the Gryffindor table and ladled some of the Irish stew that was in large steaming cauldrons on the table into their bowls. 

"I-rish stew in the name of the law." Sirius giggled.

"What?" Remus replied.

"You know, I arrest you, I-rish stew? Oh never mind. It was just a joke."

"You really ought to improve your repertoire of jokes you know. It is becoming increasingly bad."

Sirius stuck his tongue out at Remus before taking a large mouthful of the stew. He gasped and sprayed the stew over the table, "Hot! Hot!" he wafted his mouth with his hand and took a gulp of water straight from the jug. "I tink Ib buned ma tung." He said whilst holding his tongue. 

"You should blow on it first you know. It's common sense." Remus shook his head at his friend and delicately sipped his own stew.

"Mr Lupin." A voice called. Remus turned to see who it was. It was Professor McGonagall "Peeves has decided to trap the entire Ravenclaw population in their common room by gluing the doors with permanent sticking glue. I'd appreciate it if you could remove it, none of the Ravenclaws seem to know the spell. Yes, I thought that was unusual too, them being such a bright bunch and all. Anyway, off you go now Lupin." Remus cast a glance at Sirius.

"Hey you're the one who wanted to be a prefect mate! Don't look at me!" Sirius held his hands up.

Professor McGonagall shot a glare at him.

"Of course I will Professor, right after I've finished my dinner."

"No Lupin. Now." She said firmly and dragged him from his place. A grumpy looking Remus made his way out of the Hall whilst mumbling about the importance of a good diet.

Professor McGonagall returned to the teachers table at the end of the Hall and got into a conversation about the importance of learning arithmancy with one of the arithmancy teachers.

Sirius shrugged his shoulders and spooned Remus' stew into his own bowl. As he looked up he saw Faye sit down on the other side of the table a few places down. Grabbing his bowl he scooted along the bench so he was in front of her.

"What is it Black?" she said grumpily.

"Do I need a reason to talk to you?" he smiled back innocently.

"Yes. I have a feeling we've been through this before." 

"Have we? I don't remember." Faye rolled her eyes and, taking a look at the stew that was in the caldrons, pushed her bowl away and instead took a bite out of a slice of crispy French bread that was placed in a basket on the table.

"You don't like stew?" Sirius gasped.

"No. It's disgusting. Have you seen the amount of celery they put in it? I swear they think we are all rabbits." She replied. That was probably the most decent sentence Faye had ever said to Sirius in her life.

"What? It's lovely! Besides I happen to like bunnies."

Faye raised an eyebrow at him. They sat in silence for the next five minutes. Sirius only stopped eating his soup to return the evils that James was giving him now he had come to dinner.

"So, Faye, are you coming to Quidditch practise tonight?" Sirius asked casually.

Faye cursed, "Oh, damn. I forgot it was tonight." She finished off her bread roll, stood up and left.

"Bye." Sirius called after her but gained no response.

He looked down the table and caught James glaring at him again. Sighing he stood too. His empty bowl vanished as he did, returning to the kitchens to be washed. He walked over to where James was sat.

"Look mate, I'm sorry about this afternoon. You know, it doesn't matter what has happened to other people does it? We're still the best of mates right? No matter what? "James looked up at him a reluctant expression on his face. "So what do you say to a warm up game of Quidditch, just you and me, before practise starts, eh?" he grinned hopefully

James shook his head and luckily grinned back. "Only if you promise that you'll let me use your new broom."

"What?" Sirius laughed in relief, "You'd break it knowing you!" James laughed too and both boys made their way up to their dormitory to collect their Quidditch stuff, an argument settled simply by a love of the sport that founded their friendship to start with.

Monday Evening – Quidditch Practise

The Gryffindor team had arrived on the pitch for their training session and they stood in a small group awaiting their captain's orders. The team consisted of four boys and three girls

A boy in the fourth year named Henry Fry was Keeper. He was tall and gangly with wiry blonde hair that flopped over his eyes so that he had to push it back every few seconds in a very annoying manner

Two of the chasers were Louise Kettleson and Sirius Black. Louise was best friends with the teams Seeker, Hannah Drew. They were both in their fifth year and were alike in every way except appearance. Hannah being pale skinned with short, strawberry blonde hair and Louise being tanned with long, dark brown hair.

James was the third chaser, an unlikely boy for the position because of his need for glasses when eyesight was crucial to be able to see the ball coming to catch it as well as to see the goals to score. But that had never stopped James; he was probably the most dedicated person in the whole of Hogwarts as far as Quidditch went. It was no surprise he had been named Captain last year. Hannah Drew

The first beater was a fifth year named Jordan White. He was tall, muscular and dark haired but for all he was handsome he was a shy and timid boy. However it was well known that he had had a crush on Hannah Drew for two years now. 

The second beater, and last team member, was none other than Faye Pent. When James had become Captain he was all set for chucking her off the team on the basis that she was an 'Uncooperative Team Member'. But he had never found someone who was good enough to replace her. You see Faye was probably the most talented Beater that there had ever been in Hogwarts and probably would have got the position of Captain herself if she had just been that little bit more, well, nice.

"Right team." James shouted above their chattering voices. "Our next match is against Ravenclaw and we all know that whilst they have a really strong defense their Chasers aren't all that experienced or good for that matter. So I suggest that we work on how to get pass their defenders. For today I devise that we use these small balls instead of bludgers. I want Pent and White to hit them at us, we'll be in a line over here." James pointed vaguely over o the end of the pitch, "And we'll dodge them simply by going up or down, going to the side wastes more time and the quicker we are the less likely they're gonna get us with a bludger and the quicker we can get the quaffle to the posts and score.."

Everyone picked up their brooms and trudged over to where James had told them to. Jordan and Faye walked over to where the balls (rather similar to tennis balls) were stacked in a pile. 

"Mount your brooms everyone. Hover about three metres above the ground. Everyone ready for this? On my whistle…GO!"

Jordan and Faye threw the balls up in the air and swung at them when they came back down, sending them hard into the line of Gryffindors. The team dodged them by flying upwards or downwards sharply, this is actually a lot harder than it sounds because they had to stay in the same place above the ground. 

Only a few people got hit after the exercise so James decided that the team should start a mock game, he split the team into two with Henry, Louise and Jordan on one side and Sirius, Hannah and Faye on the other team. Henry and Hannah were the keepers, Louise and Siriusthe Chasers and Faye and Jordan were still the Beaters. It was quite hard to play when you only had three on a side but it would do for practises. 

James was being the ref. as he was captain and needed to watch his team's performance. He brought out the trunk containing the Quidditch equipment and took out the quaffle. On his whistle he threw it up in the air and the game began. A moment later than that James let the bludgers loose before shutting the trunk, leaving the snitch locked up for another day. 

Hannah was the first to grab the quaffle and she sped off with it neatly dodging Louise and heading towards Henry. She feigned left around him and he moved to block her but she turned sharply and headed left around her shooting the quaffle neatly through the hoop.

James blew on his whistle, "Well done Drew, you're on form. Henry, you should have seen that coming. Watch out for it next time. Play on everyone." He blew on his whistle again and as if it was a switch it began to rain, the good weather coming to an end as quickly as that.

However the game continued with Henry in possession of the quaffle having caught it when it had gone through the hoop. He threw it to Louise who caught it and spun round to speed the length of the pitch leaving Hannah trailing close behind her. Sirius was in position to block her though so she threw the quaffle back to Henry who had come forward from his post. Henry was about to catch it when a bludger was sent his way by Faye, he dived upwards to avoid it and it went sailing past him, however so did the quaffle. He turned his broom around to see Hannah racing towards it at breakneck speed. Hannah reached the quaffle long before Henry did and was racing back towards the posts to score again. Henry pressed himself flat against his broom and shot towards the posts to try to block her from scoring but she was too quick and scored yet again.

James gave another blow on the whistle. "Henry!" he yelled, "Henry, what was that? You left your post! Don't do that again! I know this is only a mock match and there's only three to a team but that's not a wise move. You practically gave that goal away." He shook his head at his team member. "Now guys, lets call that a day. Let's pack up." A flash of lighting light up the sky for a few seconds, casting everyone in a bright light. Quickly a rumble of thunder followed it. "Down quickly guys." He said knowing how dangerous it was to be flying in a storm. "White, Pent, get the bludgers in."

He turned to fly down when he felt a flash of pain hit burst in the back of his head. He felt like crying out but before he could everything went black and the last thing he felt was himself falling down, down…down.

**A/N: Long time no update, heh? Sorry 'bout that I know I did promise to update more regularly over the hols but that didn't quite work out did it. But there was chapter ten anyway, hope you liked it.**

**Thanks to Ballad.AsuCaga, madpoet08, sin-city, CHEEKIMONKEY and The Queen of Confusion.**

**All reviewers will get free t-shirts with pictures of the marauders on them (So you can gaze at them all day long!). Oh, and best wishes for 2008 everyone!**


	11. I didn't mean to kill him

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 11 – I didn't mean to kill him

"JAMES!" Sirius shouted as he watched his friend fall about 20 metres down through the air to land with a sickening crunch on the ground. The bludger that had hit him on the back of his head had continued to speed through the air until Jordan White had grabbed it and grappled it to the ground to lock it into the trunk. Sirius leapt off of his own broom whilst he was still 4 ft in the air and sprinted to where the boy lay.

He looked at James who he quickly diagnosed was unconscious. Sirius rested his head against his friend's chest. He noticed his chest wasn't moving. That meant he wasn't breathing. That wasn't good. He also noticed he couldn't hear anything. Was he supposed to hear something? Sirius couldn't remember. Wait, yes, he could.

"OH MY GOD!" he screamed, "His heart's not beating!"

"Move!" came the firm voice of Henry Fry as he shoved Sirius out of the way. He took James' shoulders into his hands and shook him gently. "James, James, can you hear me?" he said loudly. He got no response.

Henry placed one hand on James' forehead and with his other hand he tilted his head back, lifting the chin upwards in an attempt to open his airways.

Then he placed his cheek above James' mouth to feel for his breath. Then he placed one hand upon his chest to check for movement. Upon feeling no movement at all he concluded for himself that James wasn't breathing and nor was his heart beating.

He looked up at Sirius and the rest of the team, "Well don't just stand there! Someone go get help! Get Madame Pomfrey." No one moved, "NOW!" he roared and Louise and Hannah jumped into action, sprinting away through the rain.

Henry began CPR, pressing down on James' chest with both hands, breaking the sternum by doing so. After 30 compressions he stopped and, pinching James' nose, gave him two rescue breaths.

He repeated this process again and suddenly he felt James' heart beat, it was faint but it was there. He looked up at Sirius who was still kneeling nearby and grinned. Sirius knew what that grin meant and almost laughed out loud in relif.

Just then Madame Pomfrey and Professor McGonagall came rushing over across the pitch.

"Out of the way, out of the way!" Professor McGonagall shouted, the Gryffindors scattered as she pushed her way through."I said out of the way boy!" she yelled at Henry.

"Hey!" Sirius almost shouted at her, "He's just saved James' life!"

Professor McGonagall opened her mouth in surprise whilst Madame Pomfrey checked James' pulse and breathing and moved him into a recovery position. She looked up at Henry. "Well, done boy. I could use a few more like you in this school." Then she looked back to Professor McGonagall. "Let's get this boy to the hospital wing quickly. He'll live, but he's lucky. He's broken both legs and one arm though."

Lightning cracked through the air again, lighting the scene up like a Christmas tree.

Madame Pomfrey raised her arm to cast a spell to make James levitate when a voice cut through the air like scythe.

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO KILL HIM!!!"

Everyone looked up to where the voice had come from. There, forgotten in the moment, sat Faye on her broom. She was silhouetted in the sky, her short black hair sticking up around her making her look like a mad man.

"I DIDN'T MEAN TO KILL HIM!!!" she shouted again.

Sirius stood up from where he was kneeling and turned to look at her.

"What?" he said, his voice barely audible above the sound of the rain and the thunder.

"I'M SORRY!!" she screamed.

"You hit him?" Sirius said. The thoughts going through his head were full of hate. Had this girl just nearly killed James, his best friend? Without thinking he mounted his broom which had been lying on the ground beside him.

"Sirius Black, come down this instant!" Professor McGonagall shouted at him. He ignored her and instead flew towards Faye.

"You. Hit. Him?" He repeated slowly spitting each word out in her face.

"I'M SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO! I'M SORRY!" she yelled even though he was only inches away from her.

"YOU BITCH!!!" He screamed and he threw a punch at her she dodged it easily and started to cry 'I'm sorry' over and over again like it was a mantra of some kind.

He lunged towards her again as she turned her broom away and sped off out of the pitch. Sirius followed her, rage taking over him, his only need for Faye to suffer.

She flew over towards the lake, Sirius gaining on her by the minute. He reached out and caught the back of her broom. Faye tumbled down through the air, falling until she landed on the ground below. She wasn't hurt but she was winded badly and couldn't move. Sirius landed down in front of her, holding his own broom in one hand as if it was a weapon and kicking Faye's broom away with his foot so she couldn't reach it.

"You sick, twisted little girl." He sneered at her, "You know James' was right. I can't believe I was even trying to stick up for you. You make me sick." He stepped towards her, she crawled backwards a pace but then collapsed over in pain again. "And you say you didn't mean to hurt him? YOU DIDN'T MEAN TO!!" her roared, "How can you aim a bludger at someone's head and then say you didn't mean to hurt him? You almost killed him. And now, I'm going to make you pay."

Sirius stepped forward again so he was towering over her; he reached down and pulled her up to him, so her face was close to hers. "I'm going to make you feel pain like you've never felt before." With a shove he pushed her on the ground in front of him where she lay whimpering.

"Get up then. Go on. Make a stand. Show me how tough you really are. But you're not are you? It's all just a cover. Just a cover for the pathetic little worm you are inside. Well now I'm gonna make sure everybody knows that.

He advanced further towards her she crawled back a few more paces as he raised his fist once more to deliver a blow.

Faye raised her hands to block it, "I'M SORRY DAD!!!" she screamed.

Sirius stopped, "What did you just call me?"

Faye continued to squirm backwards until she was backed against a tree trunk "I DIDN'T MEAN TO KILL NOLAN!!"

Sirius' fist dropped to his side. Nolan? Who was Nolan? He looked curiously at Faye, who was still curled up in a ball when suddenly he was hit in the chest by something. He flew backwards several metres and landed again. When he looked up to see what had hit him he realised just where they were.

The Whomping Willow. He jumped backwards out of the way of another failing branch and he watched in horror as he saw a branch snake it's way around Faye's waist and lift her high in the air, then it flung her as far as it could. Sirius watched as she flew through the air. It was like seeing it in slow motion. Suddenly he knew what he had to do.

He drew his wand…

………………………………………………………………………………………

A/N: Firstly can I just say that all the First aid stuff that Henry performed on James was taken from my sister's copy of the 'British Red Cross First Aid Emergency Guide'. On NO account should you copy any of Henry's actions in an emergency unless you actually know what you are doing (e.g. have completed a First Aid course.) Thanks, just wanted to make that clear, I don't want to be responsible for anyone doing some harm to anyone else.

And thanks to all those wonderful people who reviewed: Ballad.AsuCaga, The Queen of Confusion, madpoet08 and CHEEKIMONKEY. And sadly the t-shirts were all virtual, so if you're gonna wear them, well, beware!


	12. Cuts and Bruises

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 12 – Cuts and Bruises

Tuesday Morning – The Hospital Wing

Faye opened her eyes but immediately closed them again as a rush of pain took over her head. She raised one hand to her temple, rubbing it. The pain gradually faded but she still didn't dare to open her eyes again.

She could feel that she was lying down in a bed somewhere. Her dormitory? No, there was a strong smell of disinfectant, this was the hospital wing.

Faye couldn't remember getting here though; the last thing she remembered was James falling to the ground after the bludger hit him, the sickening crunch of broken bones as he hit the floor…

Hesitantly she lifted the lid of one eye, the light wasn't too bad. She opened it a bit more and her other eye too. Her vision was blurry and she couldn't make out much at first, there was someone in the bed to her right but no one to her left.

She opened her eyes further as she adjusted to the light and her vision came back. She rolled herself onto her side to see who was in the bed next to her.

James.

He was alive then. That made her feel strange, she couldn't quite place the emotion though. But she felt as if she was suddenly lighter and somehow more cheerful.

Faye was about to sit up when she heard the door open and Matron's voice drift over to her, she snapped her eyes shut.

"Okay, you can visit them now, but only for five minutes maximum. Don't crowd James though and try not to wake him, he needs as much sleep as he can get, his bodies been through an awful lot."

Faye peaked through her eyelids at who the visitors were.

Peter and Remus were there. But Sirius wasn't with them, odd; Faye thought that he would've been to see James at the first opportunity he got. But with them was the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, Henry, Hannah, Lousie and Jordan.

Faye watched them as they almost ran over to James' bed.

"He looks awful." Hannah breathed.

"He's lucky to be alive." Louise pointed out.

Faye heard the moaning sound of someone waking up from the other side of James.

"Padfoot!" she heard Peter exclaim. The crowd of people moved to a bed further away.

"How are you?"

"Sick as a dog." Sirius replied with a small grin.

"The Whomping Willow gave you quite a beating." Remus told him, "You're lucky that Jordan managed to find you in all that rain."

"Moony." A rasping voice sounded.

The visitors gasped, "He's awake."

"Hey buddy, you had us all worried there for a moment." Remus said gently. "If it wasn't for Henry's First Aid you'd be a goner."

"What happened to me?" James asked.

"You were hit on the head by a bludger and fell from your broom." Remus explained.

"That Pent aimed at you." Sirius said the bitterness in his voice showing.

"What?" James asked shocked.

"What?" Hannah repeated the question, "Faye didn't go anywhere near the bludger!"

"What?" Now it was Sirius' turn to be confused, "Why did she start screaming that she didn't mean to kill him then?"

"I don't know," Hannah said uncertainly, "But the bludger came out of nowhere from above James, Faye was already lower down than James at that point then."

"Then who tried to kill James?" Sirius said loudly, anger seeping out now.

"No one did Sirius." Louise said softly, "It was an accident."

"An accident?" Sirius said weakly.

Louise nodded slowly.

"Right, that's it, visiting time over, say your goodbyes quickly and get out of here."

"Sorry Prongs, we have to go. Don't want to bring the wrath of the Matron down on us. But we'll be back soon, promise. "Remus said as they all shuffled slowly through the doors and the room was once more drenched in silence, broken only by the click0-clacking of Matron's shoes.

"Prongs?" Sirius whispered. He gained no response, James had already fallen back to sleep. Sirius shifted himself into a sitting position seeing that Matron had left the room again. Faye closed her eyes incase Sirius saw she was awake.

Sirius did catch of Faye lying on the bed next to James. She looked in a much worse state than he did with black eyes, a rainbow of bruises, swollen cuts on her cheeks and a bandage around her head.

"Shit." Sirius whispered to himself. He glanced around to see if anyone else was in the room, there wasn't. He swung his legs out of bed and gingerly stood up, taking most of his weight on his left leg seeing as his right was bandaged.

He tiptoed over to Faye's bed and sat down on the chair next to it. Her lips were split and

"Shit what did I do to you?" he reached over and almost scared, touched one of the cuts along her cheek.

Faye couldn't help but shriek and open her eyes. He withdrew his hand.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry!" Sirius apologised quickly, his eyes wide with concern. He saw the damage and pain he had inflicted upon Faye and felt sick. The girl hadn't done anything.

But then why had she yelled that?

"Faye," he whispered her name as her wide blue eyes stared warily into his. "What happened last night?"

"What do you mean?" she said quietly.

"You yelled something, after the bludger had hit James-"

"Is he okay?"

"He's fine." Sirius said surprised, Faye was showing concern in other people now? That was new.

"You shouted that you didn't mean to kill him." Faye didn't say anything. "That's why I attacked you," Sirius shut his eyes, the thoughts of his actions bringing up a wave of guilt. "I thought you had tried to kill James. I'm so sorry."

"I'll live," Faye smiled dismissively, "It's only a few cuts and bruises."

"But why did you say that?"

"I don't know." She said quickly. "I can't remember." She said softly, not as if she couldn't remember but as if she didn't want to.

Sirius sat there in silence for a few more moments. In his head flew the scenes of last night; James lying almost dead on the ground, Faye screaming that she didn't mean to kill him, going after Faye and attacking her under the Whomping Willow.

"_I'M SORRY DAD!!! I DIDN'T MEAN TO KILL NOLAN!!"_

Her words came back to him. He didn't understand them anymore than he had the night before.

"Faye," he said gently, "Who's Nolan?"

Time seemed to stand still; he wasn't sure how long he sat there with Faye looking at him as if she'd just seen the dead come to life.

Sirius began to feel awkward, "Faye?"

"How do you know about him?" she breathed, not moving.

"You said," he hesitated, "you said last night that you didn't mean to kill him." Sirius regretted his words as soon as he'd said them.

Faye continued to sit still for another moment but Sirius could tell that something was happening to her, her eyes went wide and almost… teary? "I DIDN'T!" she screamed, "YOU THINK I'D KILL MY OWN BROTHER? I DIDN'T MEAN TO! IT WAS ALL _HIS_ FAULT!" then she shoved Sirius to the floor and bolted out of the bed, running the length of the room before Sirius had time to get up.

Then Matron came in to see what all the shouting was about, she didn't allow _noise_ on her ward. "Mr Black what in the name of Merlin is all this shouting about? And _where_ is Miss Pent?" Sirius opened and closed his mouth, "Well seeing as if you're going to stay here and be disruptive you can go. Take this potion and get off the floor of my hospital – Er, what are you doing on the floor Mr Black?"

"That's exactly what I'm wondering."

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Later Tuesday Morning – Gryffindor Common Room

"What did you say?" Lily asked her friend Alice.

"I said that James almost died last night playing Quidditch, didn't you hear about it? Mind you, he always was a show off, he was probably trying to show everybody a new trick or something – "

"Where is he?"

"The hospital wing I think, perhaps he should make it his permanent home he's in there often –"

Lily brushed past her friend and ran out of the common room, charging through the portrait and skidding down the stairs. James had almost died? Her heart was pounding. Was he alright now? How come no one had told her? What had happened to him?

She had to see him.

Lily sprinted the rest of the way to the Hospital Wing. She didn't bother to stop to ask permission from Matron, she rushed into the Wing and then suddenly came to a halt on the marble floor.

What was she going to say to him? She hadn't spoken to him since Saturday evening when they'd broken up. Would he even want to talk to her?

"Lily." James called out.

"James!" Lily smiled, she rushed to his bedside. "How did you know it was me?"

"I always know when it's you." James smiled back at her.

"How are you then?"

"As well as expected, my bones are mostly healed by now, Matron says that I just need to rest up. I should be out by this evening if I'm lucky. Well, she'll have trouble keeping me in for any longer than that." He grinned.

"Right." Lily commented, "Well then, I'll leave you to rest." She stood up to leave."

James grabbed her hand, "Don't go."

"James." Lily pleaded

"Stay. Please. I'd get better quicker if you were here with me."

"You know I can't James."

"Why not?" James' voice cracked, "Lily, I love you. You know that. From the depths of my heart. These last few days have been agony. I need to be with you. We were so good together Lils, why couldn't we stay that way?"

"Because you're no good for me James Potter!" lily hissed being careful to keep her voice down so as not to attract the attention of Matron, "You're a trouble maker and I knew that one day you were going to break my heart!"

"Is this really what you think Lily?" she remained silent, "Or is this what Alice has put into your head?" Lily looked at the floor, "She's just jealous Lily, of what we have. She doesn't know what it's like to feel this way about someone else."

"Oh so that's what it's all about she's jealous of you, just like everyone else is! Jealous of the almighty James Potter!"

"That's not what I said Lily!"

"Yeah, well I'm not jealous of you James! I have my own friends and they're more important to me than you'll ever be!"

"Then why did you come here!" James shouted, his voice vibrating round the room. "If I don't mean anything to you then why did you come back?" Lily pulled her hand away from James' and turned away, "It's because you love me Lils. I know you do."

"Not everything's about you James." Lily held her high and walked out of the room, not bothering to look back and James' tear streaked face.

………………………………………………………………………………………….

**AN: Please don't kill me! I know I haven't updated for over a month. I don't have that much of an excuse either apart from homework and a mild case of writer's block.**

**Is it just me or does Faye's character seems to be getting stranger and stranger? Anyway, all will be reviled soon, so keep reading and of course REVIEWING!**

**Thanks though for all of you who have reviewed despite my awfulness at updating. You all deserve free, hand made, cuddly-marauders:**

**ForgiveButNeverForget**

**A Pink Rose**

**madpoet08 – _I apologise for the inaccuracy in the first aid stuff, as I said, it was my sister's book, she took the course not me and so I didn't know that. But thanks for telling me; I'm not going to change it (mainly because I'm lazy) but I'll bear that in mind for the future._**

**Curiositykils**

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**The Queen of Confusion**

**sin-city**

**Lady Livia - _Thanks for reviewing 5 chapters at once! And I will have to change the fact that I put James as Seeker to Chaser sometime, when I get round to it. As much as I love the harry Potter books I have an awful memory for details like that. Thanks though._**


	13. It's not stupid, It's love

Faye walked softly towards the curtain, making no noise so that whoever was hiding behind it didn't hear her coming

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 13 – It's not stupid, it's Love

Earlier Tuesday Morning

Sirius stood outside the hospital wing having just been thrown out by Matron. He was wearing a pair of stripy blue, hospital-wing-issue pyjamas, in one hand he held his school clothes and in the other he clutched a bottle of foul tasting, murky brown bruise medicine. Everyone else was in lessons so the corridors were quiet. 

He knew what he had to do though, he had to find Faye. He had to understand why the mention of the name Nolan had caused her to run off like that. 

Suddenly Remus' words came back to him. 'Promise you won't tell…Faye's brother died.' 

He wondered, Nolan…her brother died…she had seen his death….she hadn't meant to kill him…

Could it be that Faye had killed her own brother?

Sirius knew now that he _had_ to find Faye, whatever had happened that day had haunted her, and he had to find out what had happened. He hated to see Faye in such a way.

Sirius pulled off his pyjama top there and then and tugged on his school shirt, fiddling to do up the buttons. He leaved his pyjama bottoms on, not wishing to strip to his underpants in the middle of a corridor, but pulled on his shoes and set off down the corridor towards the common room.

"Oh, Good morning Master Black," The Fat lady greeted him "I see you're feeling better. I heard all about the Quidditch practise last night; how is Master Potter? I did try to ask Miss Pent but she just threatened me as usual. Nasty girl she is, no wonder she doesn't have any friends. Unlike you Master Black, you're quite the popular one, especially with the ladies – "

"Sorry," Sirius interrupted her ramblings, "If you don't mind, could I just go in? I sort of need to change." He indicated his current attire, "Flying Hippogriffs." 

The portrait swung open as he said the password. Sirius stepped inside, still hearing the Fat Lady's mutterings about young people these days and their rudeness as the portrait closed.

He walked over to the couches and collapsed into the comfiest of them. His stomach grumbled loudly, he'd forgotten that he'd missed diner last night and breakfast this morning. He'd have to make a trip to the kitchens before he went to lessons.

He rose to go and change into his uniform when Faye appeared at the bottom of the stairs.

"Faye." Sirius started, he noticed that she'd got changed into her school uniform already, "Are you okay? It's just – "

"I'm fine." She said quickly, "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Just then, in the hospital wing – "

"Nothing happened."

"But – "

"Nothing happened okay?"

Sirius stared at her incredulously; surely she didn't expect him to just forget what she had said? And what about the previous night? Did she expect him to forget those events too?

Without warning his stomach rumbled again.

Faye gave a small smile at the strange gurgling sound. "I was going to visit the kitchen; you sound like you could do the same."

Sirius looked at her curiously, how she could go from such anger to a cold denial to almost friendliness in such a small amount of time baffled him. But Sirius realised that pestering her now would not be wise. "That's exactly what I was going to do. Only, I have to change first."

"Okay. I'll wait for you." Faye sat down on the same couch that Sirius had just got off. Sirius turned and headed up the stairs, a look of utter bemusement on his face. She was being friendly. Faye Pent was being friendly towards him. Over the last few days he'd discovered something about this girl. That she had feelings. That she didn't just get angry or unpleasant, that she could become upset and now here she was, forgiving him for his actions last night and offering to have brunch with him. 

Something was definitely wrong with the world.

10 minutes later - In the Kitchens

Sirius and Faye sat opposite each other on wooden stools thoughtfully provided for them by the House Elves. They each had plates on their laps piled with all sorts of breakfast delicacies; from hot buttered toast to steaming waffles and from fresh mangos to chocolaty pancakes. 

"How often do you come down here?" Sirius asked Faye as he munched on a croissant.

"Most days." She replied, her mouth full of crumpet. "I usually get up after everyone's gone down to breakfast so by the time I get down here breakfasts finished."

"That would explain why you're usually late to lessons in the morning."

"Yeah. That and generally trying to avoid as much time with Professor Frogface."

"Oh I don't know, that's a bit harsh, even frogs aren't that bad looking." Faye laughed at Sirius' perfectly straight face as he said that.

"Well what would you call her then?"

"A troll."

"A troll? That's the best you can come up with."

"No, but it's the most accurate."

Faye laughed even more, "Oh, you are evil Black, I like your thinking."

"You know, I think that's the first time I've heard you laugh properly. At a joke, not at someone."

Faye stopped laughing, "We should probably be getting to lessons, otherwise it'll be lunchtime before we realise it." She handed her plate to one of the elves.

"But you've hardly even touched your breakfast – "

"I'm not that hungry." She stood up abruptly and fell to the floor with a shriek. 

"Faye!" Sirius chucked his breakfast aside and skidded across the floor to her side. "Faye, are you okay?"

Faye groaned, "Yeah, my legs just gave way that's all."

"See, you need to eat. Your weak, your body's had to heal itself quite dramatically." Sirius gulped away his quilt again, "No amount of potions can make up for a good square meal. Here." He wrapped one arm around Faye, "Here, hold onto me." She put her own arm around his neck as he helped her stand upright. "I think it'd be best if I took you back to the Hospital wing."

"No. I couldn't stand being stuck with Matron for any longer than necessary."

"Come on, you're not fit to go to class. You need to rest up for that lovely detention of ours tonight."

"What? I forgot about that. Oh that sucks."

"Besides, you have no choice in the matter."

"Since when did you care about my well being?"

"Since when did you turn out to be surprisingly good company?" Sirius smiled at the girl his arm was round and felt a certain fondness he was sure wasn't supposed to be there.

The Hospital Wing – Lunchtime

Remus, Peter and Sirius sat around James' bed waiting for him to wake up so they could talk to him.

"Perhaps we should poke him."

"Padfoot!" Remus exclaimed.

"What? He's not doing anything interesting just lying there asleep. He would hate to think that he wasted the whole day sleeping."

"I would think that he's happy enough with just being alive." Remus' statement caused them to all go silent again.

"Do you think we should have brought cookies?" Peter broke the silence after a while.

"Yes." A mumble came from under the bed sheets.

"Prongs!" The three boys shouted.

"Shhh!" James hushed them, "Or Matron will chuck you out for making too much noise again Padfoot."

"You heard that?" Sirius panicked, he didn't want James' to have heard his earlier conversation with Faye.

"Just when she chucked you out, Matron could wake the dead with a whisper." The boys chuckled slightly. "Lily came in soon after you left." James said quietly.

"Really? That's great. Does this mean your – " Peter was cut off mid sentence by an elbow in the stomach from Sirius who could tell from James' tone of voice that this was not good news.

"She still loves me. I know she does."

"We know too Prongs." Sirius patted his arm comfortingly.

"I just have to prove that too her. I can't live without her. At least it wouldn't be called living."

"Prongs." Remus said firmly. "As much as I want you and Lily to be together again you have to be prepared for her to not want the same thing. You have to be prepared to live without her."

"But I don't want to!" James shouted. "I love her Moony. So much, more than any of you could ever possibly imagine. And if I don't ever win her back I think I'd rather die."

"Don't say something so stupid James." Remus said, almost angrily.

"It's not stupid. It's Love. And Love can make you do crazy things."

**A/N: I hope that chapter was okay. It hasn't been betad as I currently can't contact my beta as my emails aren't working (grr). This brings me to a further point. Anyone interested in betaing this story? Just PM me if you are. **

**And thank you so much for your reviews guys! Cookies to all!**

**ForgiveButNeverForget**

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**Black Electric – **_**Thanks for reviewing four chapters and yes you can have the marshmallows and the t-shirt, though I did warn you about it!**_

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**I'm not sure what's going to happen now. I'm thinking about putting this on hold for a while whilst I write other things, but I may end up writing another chapter during these Easter hols if I get struck with a good idea so I don't know. But keep an eye out for chapter 4 anyway.**

**Luthien x**


	14. Pent, Faye

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 14 – Pent, Faye

Tuesday Evening - Professor McGonagall's Office

Lily knocked sharply, twice, on the door which almost immediately swung open revealing the young teacher sat at her desk surrounded by mounds of paperwork that she was currently working on.

"I'm here for my Prefect duties." Lily stated, stepping into the room to show the Professor who was there.

"Yes." Professor McGonagall acknowledged. "Just wait a second…" she continued to write something on a piece of parchment. "There." She drew a line under what she had written and replaced her quill in the ink bottle. "Right. Now Miss Evans, what was it you wanted?"

"Umm, prefect duties Professor." Lily repeated.

"Right. Of course. Let's see, yes." Minerva glanced around the room and her gaze fell on a stack of files. "Ah." She said gravely, "Yes, I have some things for you to file Miss Evans."

Lily looked puzzled; surely the teacher was capable of doing a simple filing charm. "Can't you just charm – "

"No." she cut her off firmly, " Evans, these files are extremely important. They must not be touched by magic of any kind; the consequences could b dire." Professor McGonagall rose and stood in front of Lily, she raised a hand to her shoulder, looking her directly in the eye. "Miss Evans I am putting my trust in you. I would prefer to do it myself but I have a detention to supervise and as I can find no one of authority to supervise either I must go. These documents cannot be left lying around, they are of the utmost importance _and_ secrecy." She looked meaningfully at Lily, "You must not look at any of the document's contents, they are all protected by spells anyway so that would be impossible. Also, you must never repeat that you did this to anyone. Am I clear?"

"Yes Professor." Lily answered quietly. What were these documents? Why were they so important? McGonagall had told her that she must not look at them however tempted and she was tempted.

But she had self control and would stop herself.

"Good." Professor McGonagall took a step away from her and with a small smile started to gather some papers together. "Now, each document has a name on it. They must filed alphabetically, by surname, in this cabinet." Minerva at this point walked over to a wall "Please look away Miss Evans," Lily obediently turned her head as the teacher placed her palm on the wall and muttered a few words, then as she touched her wand tip to the stones the wall moved sideways and revealed a safe, the old fashioned muggle kind with the complicated dials. She turned the dials quickly and the safe swung open to reveal a cabinet inside.

She then continued, "If two surnames are the same then file them by first name. As soon as you have finished simply step back and the walls will close. Do not worry, they will not close before you have finished. Then you are dismissed and may go back to your common room. If anyone asks you can tell them that you were filling letters for me. That way you won't have to deceive anyone too much."

Lily nodded, now thoroughly curious but not willing to question.

"Good. Then you may get started. I will back at 10 o'clock. If you have not finished by then I will…"

_Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock. Knock._

A volley of knocking came from the door.

Professor McGonagall waved her wand at the door and it swung open, practically causing none other than Sirius Black to fall into the room.

"Black." McGonagall sighed. "Three knocks would be perfectly adequate. I am not in danger of forgetting your presence if you cease to knock for one second."

"Sorry mam." Sirius grinned cockily at her apparently unaware that her office had changed shape to reveal a secret safe.

"You will be." The Professor muttered threateningly under her breath. "Are you all here? Lupin, Pettigrew, Black, Pent…" she counted as the rest of them shuffled into the room. Lily shook her head as she realised whose detention it was.

Remus stood next to Sirius wearing a red sweater over his uniform and was looking distinctly nervous about the fact that he had to attend a detention and his record for the year was being tarnished, to him the hopes of becoming head boy seemed even more distant.

Peter on the other hand was looking much more relaxed as he stood there picking his nose. Lily resisted the urge to pull his finger from the black hole and tell him what a disgusting habit it was.

Faye was standing at the back, behind everyone looking disinterested as usually. Lily's eyes lingered over her short hair and once again wondered why she had cut it. Secretly Lily had always envied Faye for her beautiful long black hair. Mind you that student was an utter mystery to most people. She laughed silently to herself as she thought of the bet Sirius and James had.

James…

He wasn't there. Lily suddenly felt herself go hot with worry and panic. Was James still being kept in the hospital wing? Had his condition deteriorated? Was he…

Lily snapped out of her thoughts as she heard Sirius explaining to Professor McGonagall why James wasn't there.

"I have a note here somewhere from Matron." Sirius fumbled through his pockets for the piece of parchment.

"Back left trouser pocket." Remus supplied.

"Ah, thanks." Sirius pulled out the parchment and handed it to Professor McGonagall. "He's been excused because although he's been let out of the Hospital Wing he apparently still needs to recover and can't do any 'strenuous exercise'. Lucky sod. Favouritism I call it – "

"Thank you Black. I can read it myself. Now, you can tell Potter that I will reschedule his detention. Injury is not an excuse."

Of course, Lily thought, James was living the pampered life wasn't he? It wasn't just the students that adored him but the teachers too. Even the strict Matron. Lily doubted that he was too ill to come to the detention, it was probably more a matter of he had used his puppy dog eyes on Matron.

"I trust that you Black and Pent are feeling better after yesterday?"

"Yeah." Sirius replied glancing behind him at Faye who continued staring into space, "We're just fine thanks."

"Then let's get a move on. I haven't got all night you know." With that Professor McGonagall ushered them out of the room leaving Lily on her own with the files.

"Professor, what are we doing for the detention?" Remus asked in a small voice.

"You four will be putting letters in envelopes. I have letters that I need to send to the parents of every student in the school. You will be folding each letter and sticking all the envelopes by hand. In silence as well because I have some papers I need to mark. Now we'll use this classroom here."

She led them into the room and they took they're seats in the front row of desks as she placed stacks of letters and envelopes in front of them.

Sirius groaned loudly at the prospect of spending the next two and a half hours licking envelopes.

"Well Black, if you didn't set fire to school property you may be in the common room right now next to the fire."

Sirius scowled at her but he sat down in between Remus and Faye anyway. They started work, figuring that if they could somehow get through all these letters before the end of detention they might be able to leave early, Remus and Peter folding the letters, Sirius and Faye licking the envelopes shut.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Professor McGonagall's Office 

Lily meanwhile was sitting in front of the safe with an enormous pile of files besides her. As curious as the order had made her filing was a boring and tedious task. One that she would rather not do.

She sighed and picked up the first file looking at the name written in neat script on the outside.

_Malfoy, Lucious_

So these were files about students she thought to her self. Now what would be so important about students? She grabbed another file.

_Carrow, Amycus_

She filed it in front of Lucious'.

_Goyle, Javier _**(A/N: Does anyone know what his real name was? Same for the others you don't recognise.)**

_Lestrange, Rodolphus_

_Black, Regulus_

_Dolohov, Antonin_

All the students so far she noted were from Slytherin. Was that also significant? Lily puzzled over what could be so secret that she wasn't even to speak of it to anyone.

_Black, Bellatrix_

_Crabbe, Marius _

_Black, Sirius_

Wait. Sirius? He wasn't Slytherin, he was a Gryffindor. But his brother was. She'd already filed him. Was that the connection? That everybody here was connected to Slytherin? Lily frowned but placed the file after his brother's nevertheless.

_Nott, Darrien_

_Gibbon, Carlos_

_Avery, Felix_

_Lestrange, Rabastan_

_Pent, Faye_

Another Gryffindor. Odd. She didn't have a sibling in Slytherin. As far as Lily knew she didn't have any siblings at all. Confused with mystery of it all Lily tried to shove the file after Nott's but the file slipped from her grasp and clattered to the floor spilling its contents.

Spilling its contents. Didn't Professor McGonagall say that the files were magically protected to stop things like this from happening?

Part of Lily wanted to pick the file up and put it in the cabinet before anyone knew what had happened. Another part wanted to run and find Professor McGonagall to tell her what had happened to the file.

But a large part of her wanted to look at what had fallen out. To find out what these secret files were about.

Her hand itched towards the file and picked it up, still wondering whether to put it back or read it she held it uncertainly in front of her.

But curiosity would kill her and she turned the first page towards her.

_Pent, Faye_

_Daughter of Maxwell Pent and Violet Murik (married)_

_Maxwell Pent:_

_Suspected follower of Voldemort. Reported to have killed two muggles in Sussex on his orders. Never proved guilty, evidence not sufficient._

The information about Maxwell went on for half a page and information about his wife for the rest of it. Lily shuffled through the pages until she found one headed Concerns.

_Concerns:_

_Both parents have claimed disownership of their daughter following the death of Nolan Pent._

_Suspected that both Maxwell and Violet have carried out physical and verbal abuse to their daughter during the time of the summers following Nolan Pent's death. There is concern for her well being._

_Suspected that both parents would have Faye Pent follow Voldemort. Suspect that force could be used to ensure this._

The list of concerns went on for longer too. Lily stared at the list. Faye Pent had been disowned by her parents? She had been abused by them? She was being forced to follow Voldemort, the wizard considered to be a threat to both the wizarding and muggle community?

She didn't believe it. Faye Pent was a strong character, she wouldn't be abused by anyone. Would she?

Lily didn't understand what was written here and she didn't want to read on but she did anyway, unable to stop herself.

_Dangers:_

_Faye Pent has shown violent and what would be considered 'bullying' behaviour towards other students at Hogwarts and to the staff._

_Faye Pent posses very strong magical ability, cases in which this has been a danger is in the death of her brother._

_Faye Pent was accused of the murder of her younger brother Nolan Pent by both her parents. Though there was no sufficient evidence to prove this there was no evidence to disprove this either. She remains a suspect and there will be further trails pursuing this case when she turns seventeen._

Lily's head span with thoughts but the one that that rung loudest was this.

Faye Pent murdered her brother?

…………………………………………………………………………………………

**A/N: REVEIWS PLEASE!!**

**Can I just say that it's currently snowing outside so I'm amazingly hyper. (Note: where I live it only snows like once a year so we all get super excited about it) Maybe if it continues I can build a snow man!! **

**Anyway, reviewers all get edible snowflakes. Wait, snowflakes are edible anyway, even if they are cold on your tongue :D **

**Thanks go to:**

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	15. What in Merlin's name is going on here?

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 15 – What in Merlin's name is going on here?

Tuesday Evening – Detention

Remus swiftly folded his seventy-third letter exactly in three and added it to the ever growing pile on Sirius' and Faye's desk. Peter, who was sat next to him hunched over the desk, tongue sticking out in concentration, was struggling to master the art of paper folding. Professor McGonagall, watching him, was thankful that origami wasn't on the curriculum.

Remus added his seventy-sixth letter to the top of the pile and Sirius snatched it up in frustration, trying to shove it in the envelope before Remus managed to fold another letter. He failed and groaned as the pile grew even bigger.

"Moony, can't you slow down a tad? Have you had lessons in super speedy mail folding or something? This pile is in danger of overflowing the desk!" he hissed at Remus.

Moony tittered but leaned back in his chair anyway, folding the letters at a more leisurely pace. Sirius shook his head, appalled at his friend's enthusiastic approach to detentions. Honestly, and that guy called himself a marauder.

He reached for another envelope and letter. His fingers brushed the paper but before he could take hold of it, the whole pile toppled backwards over the edge of the desk.

Sirius lunged over the table making a mad grab for the escaping messages. The desk, however, was not used to teenage boys hurling themselves at it and was, consequently, caught off guard and toppled over backwards. Sirius fell awkwardly on top of the desk, swearing loudly as his head collided with one of the legs.

Professor McGonagall stood suddenly staring at the sprawling student in annoyance without an inch of concern visible in her features.

"Black!" she barked.

Sirius looked up at her sheepishly, rubbing his head, "Yes, Professor?"

"I'm not even going to ask what happened. Just clear up this mess and finish the rest of the detention. In silence, may I add?"

Sirius hurriedly scrambled up to right the desk when there was a loud snort behind him. He turned to see Faye sitting in her seat, mouth covered with one hand, trying desperately not to laugh.

Another snort escaped and Sirius felt a smile come to his lips that he could not suppress at the sound. Faye gave up trying to stifle her laugh and burst out.

"You're laughing at my pain you realise," Sirius pointed out, not truly offended, as he rubbed his forehead where a bruise was steadily forming.

"It's not…. That," Faye managed to say in between giggles. "It's just..." She collapsed into more hysterics, tears starting roll down her cheek.

"What?" Sirius wondered, a grin stuck on his face, what the girl found so funny.

Then Remus started laughing too.

"What?" Sirius repeated, looking at him. Then Peter started to giggle as well. "You too!" he exclaimed.

All three of them sat there laughing, Sirius standing, in bewilderment and Professor McGonagall regarding the scene in astonishment, her eyebrows raised.

"Did you know," Faye started. "You have… a letter… stuck in your hair!" She bent over double with what she found, the hilarity of it all.

Sirius reached up to his head, feeling the letter stuck at an awkward angle, caught between his ear and his hair.

Then he started to laugh too, quietly at first and then more loudly, joining in with the rest of them in their moment of madness. It was absurd really; if anyone else had been walking past the classroom and looked in, they would probably have called St Mungo's to take them away. But since there was not anyone walking past, the four teens were left to their completely unnecessary hysterics over a piece of parchment and Sirius' unruly hair.

Well, almost left to it.

"THAT IS IT!" Professor McGonagall roared over them. "I have had enough of you! Just go! Now!"

They stopped laughing.

"Now?" Peter asked.

"Now!" Minerva despaired, putting her head in her hands.

"All right!" Sirius punched the air, leaping over the scattered letters and slammed into the door in his hast to leave the room.

The others followed him; their laughter stopped but grins were still plastered on their faces. Well, apart from Remus, he was frowning; now worried about his status and whether he would ever get Head Boy now.

The four of them stood outside the door.

"What are we going to do now?" Sirius asked them, mischief gleaming dangerously in his eyes.

"Not what I think you're thinking of," Remus said, quickly guessing Sirius' thoughts.

"Well if you're thinking what I'm thinking then you must have thought about doing it in the first place."

"No. I've just spent too much time around you; I know your mind better than I know my own."

"Do not."

"I do too."

"He does," Peter quipped.

"Do not!"

"Do too!"

"Faye, tell them that I am not-," Sirius stopped. "Where'd Pent go?"

He looked around but the corridors were deserted. "She's disappeared," he said rather glumly. Strangely enough he had been enjoying her company, besides; it was her laughter that had got them out of detention early.

"Wait," Remus suddenly said as he realised something. "Back then. In detention, Faye laughed. I mean, she _actually laughed_!"

"Yeah," Sirius agreed quietly, smiling as his friends underwent the same revelation that he had had earlier that morning.

Remus shook his head, "I saw her cry on Sunday. On Monday, she confided in me. And now she's laughing with us? What is happening with that girl?"

"To be honest, I don't know, Moony," Sirius answered gazing at the spot Faye had been standing in. "But it's almost like she's becoming a different person than she was before."

"Yeah. Come on, we better take advantage of being let out of detention early." Remus and Peter started walking down the corridor.

"Almost," Sirius whispered to the air, "But not quite."

…………………………………………………………………………………………

The Detention Classroom

Minerva cradled her head in her hands. Those marauders, she thought, they were more trouble than they were worth.

And Pent? She was a concern, as always. Minerva had talked to Dumbledore about her and the situation but, as usual, no arrangements had been made as to what could be done, no decisions were ever reached where Pent was concerned.

McGonagall flicked her wand at the scattered letters and they flew back into an orderly pile on the desk. Another flick and they were folding themselves and putting themselves in envelopes of their own accord at super speed.

She picked up her own pile of marking and, levitating the letters in front of her, made her way out of the classroom. She could hear the echo of the chatter of the boys as they walked back to the Gryffindor tower down the empty corridors.

How could they be so uncaring? She had just kicked them out of a detention! Especially Lupin. Minerva found herself seriously reconsidering making him Head boy next year.

She tutted as she came to the door to her office then pointed her wand at the handle and muttered Alohomora. She pushed the door open with her foot.

"Evans, I'll take over-," she stopped as her eyes locked onto the pupil, sitting in the middle of the office floor. A file wide open in front of her, the contents spread out.

McGonagall stopped breathing, "What in Merlin's name is going on here Evans?"

…………………………………………………………………………………………

**A/N: Sorry for the rather short update. It may be the last for a while as exams are looming ever closer and I find myself forced to revise. I also apologise for the randomness of the paper/hair thing. I know it's not funny but my brain wasn't working and I couldn't think of anything amusing. : )**

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	16. The Miracale of Magic

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 16 – The Miracle of Magic

Tuesday Evening – Professor McGonagall's Office

"Professor," Lily stuttered as she scrambled to her feet, slamming the file shut, "I can explain."

"I damn well hope you can Evans! I _told_ you – no - I _forbade_ you to open those files! I trusted you Evans and this," she jerked her hand at the file on the floor, "This is what becomes of it!"

Suddenly McGonagall turned white; she clasped her hands together and sank into a chair. "I'm going to lose my job!" she whispered.

"I-I'm sure that won't happen."

"And you!" she roared suddenly, "You will be expelled for this! You-"

"I don't think it will come to that Minerva." A calm voice came from the doorway. Lily and Minerva turned to see Dumbledore standing there, his auburn hair flowing around him like an aura. "Miss Evans, "he addressed Lily, "I suggest that you return to your dormitory. I will be talking to you later. Now Minerva, you need to calm down and sit down. We have much to discuss. Miss Evans if you will please?" he motioned to the door and Lily snapped out of her state of shock and scurried quickly through it, head hung.

"I-I'm sorry." She sniffed quietly as she left. No one replied and she ran down the corridor, red hair and warm, salty tears streaming behind her.

She choked the password out to a concerned Fat Lady who grudgingly let her through.

Lily fell into the nearest couch in the now deserted common room and let the tears pour down her face. She hugged her knees tightly to her chest.

She could not believe what she had just done. She had ruined everything. All her hopes of being Head girl, of passing her NEWTS, of getting a good job. And she'd endangered Professor McGonagall's career too!

Most of all though she had disgusted herself. How could she have done that? She felt sick with herself. She hated her very being at that moment.

A muffled sob escaped her lips.

"Lily?" A boy just entering the common room caught sight of her fiery red tresses hanging over the back of the chair.

"James!" she said in surprise, wiping her eyes with the back of her sleeve.

"Are you okay Lily?" he asked concerned, noticing the wobble in her voice.

"I'm fine." She answered sharply.

James walked over to where she was sat and crouched down infront of her. He remembered their 'conversation' that morning but in spite of that he couldn't just let her sit there if she was, as he suspected, upset about something.

He brushed her hair from her face, "Oh Lils, what's wrong?"

"Go. Away. James."

"Lily, please, I just want to help."

"Leave me alone! Lily tried to stand up but James grabbed her hand. "I thought that I made it clear. I don't like you anymore." Her emerald eyes sparkled with fury.

"Lily." James repeated, "Please. As a friend. Tell me what is wrong." He stared into her sad eyes and they seemed to soften under his gaze. Tentatively he reached up a hand to her face, her eyes closed at his touch. James gently brushed a tear from her cheek with his thumb.

Lily opened her eyes again, no longer angry but with an apologetic look on her face, "I don't - I can't – be your friend anymore either Potter, I'm sorry."

It hurt to hear her call him Potter, "Lils – "she shrugged his hand away and quietly she left him standing alone in the common room.

Rejected once again.

………………………………………………………………………………………

Gryffindor's Sixth Year Boy's Dormitory

Sirius was lying on his back spread out on his four poster bed. Around him were stacks of Honeyduke's chocolate and sweets, wrappers open, half eaten. Mixed among them were various Zonko's products and some of the Marauders own concoctions.

He lazily kicked a Drooble's Best Blowing Gum off of the edge of the bed when the dormitory door burst open.

"Hey ya Prongs!" Sirius greeted James cheerfully, "You'll never guess what – "a pillow flung at him from Remus hit him in the face; cutting him off mid sentence. "What was that for?" he exclaimed.

Remus jerked his head a James. Sirius looked and saw James' shaking figure in the doorway, eyes welling up with tears.

Sirius groaned and collapsed back on his bed. "God, you cry more than girls do." He moaned then composed himself and asked in a kinder tone, "Lily again?"

James nodded and sat down on his bed, the one next to Sirius'. "She said she didn't even want to be friends anymore."

Sirius smiled sympathetically, he knew how cut up his friend was over Lily Evans but he also knew that James had to face some harsh truths; and if he would not accept them from Remus then he would have to deliver them. As tactfully as he could.

"Listen mate, I know you like her – "

"I love her." James interjected fiercely.

"Okay, you love her." He took a deep breath, "But do you really think she deserves you?"

"What!"

"I mean, she dumps you and refuses to speak with you. She breaks your heart but you still stand there waiting for the possibility that one day she'll realise that she loves you too. Do you know what that shows me? That you, James Potter, are a good person. A better person. And to be honest, I don't think she deserves you."

"Well what about me?" James yelled at him, anger getting the better of him, "Don't I deserve her?" Sirius did not reply. "I'm going out."

"James it's late. Where?" Remus demanded. James ignored him as he snatched his invisibility cloak from underneath his bed and stormed out. "Way to go Padfoot."

"What?" Sirius cried indignantly.

"I don't think then was exactly the best time to give him a piece of your mind."

"Oh and this morning was?"

"You're supposed to be his best friend." Remus accused, "How can you be so insensitive?"

"Well it's not like he's never insensitive! Look how he handled things when you told him all that stuff about Faye."

Remus gave Sirius a death glare, "I am going to bed." He stated coldly and he climbed into his bed still fully clothed. He turned to face away from him.

Great, Sirius thought; now I have succeeded in making two of my best friends hate me. Tomorrow looked like it would be fun.

He saw Peter watching him from his own bed. "What are you staring at?" he snapped at him before he too followed Remus' example and clambered under his bed sheets still dressed in his uniform leaving Peter to mumble and offended apology.

Several minutes later the lights were turned off and Sirius lay in the dark thinking.

Faye. His own thoughts earlier that morning came back to him. The questions still buzzed around his mind. Had she killed her brother? Did he even want to know the answer?

A week earlier and he would have jumped at the chance to unearth anything potentially dangerous about her. Now he just wished he did not know anything about it.

The bruises on his arms were healing well with the help of the Bruise Lotion. Faye's had too, in fact they'd almost disappeared despite through the day the fact that hers were so much worse than his.

That was the miracle of magic he supposed. One day something was there. The next it vanished completely.

………………………………………………………………………………………..

**A/N: I'm sooo sorry it took so long to update guys! I actually wrote this thing seven weeks ago and gave it to my beta. However my beta still hasn't betad it and is now quitting the job. : (****. She smells. So anyone feel up to a little betaing? But anyway, good news is that I'm currently typing out chapter 17 as we speak so it should be ready to post by next weekend.**

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	17. Your Secret Lover

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 17 – Your Secret Lover

Wednesday Morning – Hospital Wing

"You're late Black. I said seven o'clock and it's nearly half past now! Don't you have any sense of time?"

Sirius grinned at Matron sheepishly, "Sorry, couldn't get into the bathroom, Pete was hogging it."

"Now that I highly doubt. Anyway, let's check on your bruises. Lift up your shirt. Good. Been putting on the lotion three times a day? Good. Alright then, you can go but I want to see you again tonight, before dinner so six o'clock at the latest. Now off you go." She ushered him out of the door.

"But what about Faye?" Sirius blurted out before Matron could shut the door.

"What about her?" Matron bristled.

"Has she been in? Is she okay?"

"Yes. Unlike you she had the decency to arrive on time. For once. Now you had better be on your way or you'll be late for breakfast and then you will be complaining. I know what you boys are like when you haven't been fed." She gave him a final push out of the door and went on to check on her other patients.

_Funny_, Matron thought, _Pent had been in a lot worse state than Black but she seems to be healing faster, in fact she's almost completely healed. _Matron shook her head and dismissed it as Black's forgetfulness and him not taking the potions she'd given him to.

…………………………………………………………………………………………

Still Wednesday Morning – Great Hall

Down in the great hall breakfast was already taking place. James sat moodily between Remus and Peter, spreading heaps of jam onto his toast, glancing up occasionally to watch Lily sitting at the other end of the Gryffindor table on her own looking as miserable as James did. Remus was busy cramming in extra study so that he could over achieve. Peter however was oblivious to the atmosphere and was stuffing his face.

Remus closed his book and sighed at James as Sirius entered the hall. Padfoot sat down in his normal place opposite James, all too aware of the tense atmosphere.

"'Morning Prongs." James did not reply. The only sound heard was that of jam squelching on bread.

"Moony." Sirius tried instead.

James dropped his piece of toast and stood up. "You know, I'm not really hungry anymore." He glared at Sirius before quietly walking away.

"Something I said?" Sirius tried to joke but nobody laughed as his words were truthful.

"Come on Wormtail," Remus said, "We've got stuff to do."

"But I haven't finished breakfast yet!"

"Now." Remus grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him off of the bench.

Sirius sighed. Whoever said things were always better in the morning was deluded. If anything things were worse. He grabbed a kind of chocolate-bran cereal thing and proceeded to pour the contents aggressively over his bowl and the table.

"It must have been awful for you." Sirius jumped at the sound of a girls voice close to him and looked up to see a pair of large green eyes staring into his.

"Oh hey, err…"

"Kristy."

"Hey Kristy." She sat down opposite him in James' seat. Sirius eyed her suspiciously, what was she doing there?

"Hi." She said sighing and twirling a strand of her blond hair around a finger. "I was just thinking about how awful it must have been for you."

"Err, what must have been?"

"Having to see James lying there on that pitch, never knowing if he was going to be alive again."

Oh right, Sirius thought, because that was the exact topic he wanted to discuss right now. He wished that the girl would just go away and leave him in peace.

"Yeah, I suppose it was." He replied.

"You're such a good friend you know." - Sirius really didn't get that feeling at that moment - "You stuck with him through everything. Even when he had pink hair," she leaned forward slightly so that her shirt gaped open a bit giving Sirius a clear view of what was underneath it, he tried to look at her face, not interested in her. "Gee, I wish I had friends like you."

"Sure you do. What about Grace and err, Jane?" he tried to think of who he'd seen her with.

"Julia." She corrected him, "And they're not like you. I mean, they refused to go to Hogsmede with me next weekend. Can you believe that?"

"I'm sure – "

"Of course you can't! You would never abandon a friend would you?" she ran a hand down her neck pulling her shirt open even more. Sirius silently cursed all women as he found it impossible not to look.

"No but – "

"I mean, if I was _your_ friend you would go with me wouldn't you?" she pouted to draw out sympathy; underneath the table she rubbed her hand gently along Sirius' thigh.

Sirius was finding it extremely difficult at this point to concentrate. "Well, yes, I – "

"Great! Then I'll meet you at ten in the entrance hall on Saturday. See you Siri!" she stood up and before he could protest she had run a hand down his cheek and walked away, hips wiggling.

How on earth had that just happened? Sirius thought dumbfounded, he somehow now had a date for that weekend. It wasn't that he didn't like Kristy; she was an excellent kisser and had a great body, he knew. Usually he would be thrilled at the thought. But now, it just seemed like bad timing.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Sixth Year's Potions' Lesson

The students groaned; a new potions project. Oh, the fun that it would bring them. Plus, to make it even more exciting, Slughorn was putting them into groups himself.

"Quiet now class. Groups of three I think. Okay, let's see. Green, Higgs and Longbottom. Lupin, Giles and McCarr. Evans, Legg and Potter." Lily stared at Slughorn in horror whilst James just looked at Lily, wishfully thinking this could bring them back together. "Lynn, Creedy and Arora. Black, Leach and Pent."

"Professor, I am not working with her!" Leach snarled.

Slughorn looked surprise, "Why ever not?"

"I refuse to! Change the groups."

"I don't really see how – "

"I'll switch groups with him, Sir."

Slughorn turned to the speaker, "Ah, Lily. Are you sure?"

"Yes. I think it would be best. That way there will be no disruption within the class." Sirius looked at Lily could not decide whether she was referring to Leach and Pent or herself and James.

"Okay then. Now that's sorted, everybody get to work!"

Sirius moved to where Lily and Faye were sat. Faye looked bored - nothing unusual there. Lily however looked quite nervous sat opposite Faye and was watching her warily.

"Hi Lily, Faye." He greeted them, they both nodded in reply. "So… I thought we could make a Felix Felicis or something – "

"Don't you ever bother looking at the curriculum? We're doing that after Christmas, we can't do it now!"

"Oh, well sorry for not finding our curriculum interesting! What do you suggest then?"

"I think we should do the polyjuice potion."

"Boring, done that!"

"What! When?"

"Umm, err, Potions Club."

"Black, there isn't a potions club!"

"What are you accusing me of Evans?"

"How about a Love Potion?" Faye proposed.

"Of breaking more than two dozen school rules! Was Ja-Potter involved?" Lily continued to fume, "You don't – wait, a love potion?"

"Yeah. Well, I think it's quite simple to make but there is a fair amount of theory behind it so it should be interesting to develop."

"What! But more theory just means more work!" Sirius complained.

"Do you have a better idea?" Faye asked him, folding her arms stubbornly.

"No." he grumbled.

"Well, I think it's a good idea actually. There are several ways that we could adapt its purpose." Lily said thoughtfully.

"Thanks." Faye said, grateful that someone liked her idea. Usually when she was put in a group several hexes would have been fired, someone would be taken to the hospital wing and she would be in McGonagall's office by now.

_Thanks? _Thought Lily, _since when did Pent mind her Ps and Qs?_

"Okay Class! My, time does fly doesn't it!" Slughorn boomed, "I trust that you've all decided what you're doing now. I expect you to have researched the potion and written down at least two ideas for alteration by next lesson. Class dismissed." They broke up into friendship groups once more as the class left the dungeons.

"Oh, Lily, wait a minute would you." Slughorn motioned to her. Lily turned to Alice who was waiting for her and told her to go; she'd catch up later. "Dumbledore asked me to tell you, he wants to see you in his office." He winked, "probably to talk to you about your marvellous academic achievements." Lily felt her face paling at the thought of what it was Dumbledore actually wanted to discuss with her.

She mumbled a goodbye to the professor and set off to the headmaster's office, hands shaking.

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

Midday – The Great Hall

Lunch was a depressing affair for Sirius as both James and Remus were still ignoring him and Peter only gave him the odd sympathetic smile. After a while Sirius became fed up with being given the cold shoulder and stormed off outside into the cold as the weather had suddenly developed a wintery feel to it.

He found himself wandering past the lake where the giant squid was busy attacking an innocent flock of crows that had flown past too close. He sat himself down on the shore, thinking. He wasn't angry with James for ignoring him; he never could be for long. Besides he could understand why Prongs was so upset:

He loved Lily.

Plain and simple. James Potter loved Lily Evans more than anything else in the world.

Until recently Sirius had always thought Lily had felt the same way, her sudden dismissal of James made it clear that she didn't. Sirius hated seeing James so heartbroken and was trying to be cruel to kind. It hadn't worked. Sirius could see that and he regretted ever trying to sort things out, why couldn't he have kept his nose out and just been supportive?

The only thing he could see for him to do was to apologise to James, this could be tricky considering he couldn't speak to him without James walking off.

Then Sirius had an idea, he would _write_ an apology. That way James would have to read it since he wouldn't know who it was from until he opened it up.

Sirius set off for the owlery feeling quite pleased with himself. He hated it when he and James fell out.

"Oh, it's you."

Sirius was jerked out of his thoughts by a somewhat rude greeting as he entered the Owlery. He looked up. There was Faye sat on a stool by the window, a large Black owl on her shoulder and a piece of parchment tied with a ribbon on her lap.

"Yeah. Hi Faye." He greeted her in return, running his hand through his long dark hair. He quickly snatched his hand back down; he was picking up James' annoying habit, even though James usually only did that when he was nervous about something, which Sirius wasn't.

The owl on Faye's shoulder started pecking at her head, she tried to shoo it away but it grabbed a small chunk of her hair and pulled it out. "Shit! You little – "

"Woah!" Sirius exclaimed as he grabbed the owl between his hands, trapping its struggling wings to its body. "There." He said placing it on a perch the other side of the room where it looked pointedly away from both of them. Faye didn't say anything so Sirius filled the silence, "I take it he was attacking you and that wasn't some warped display of affection?"

"Yeah." Faye picked up her satchel and pushed the parchment inside it.

"So did you get a letter then? Or were you planning on sending one?" Sirius asked as he sat down on another stool near the door.

"Yes." She replied sharply, why else would she be in the owlery?

Sirius laughed, not unkindly, "Which one?"

"Both." She felt her head with her hand. It was bleeding where the hair had been ripped out. She quickly used her wand to heal the cut and clean it.

"Right." Sirius picked at the splinters of wood on his stool, as he looked up Faye was walking out of the room, he stood up and followed her. "Who was it to then?"

"That's none of your business Black."

"Is it a secret lover?" he enquired cheekily.

"No." she pushed past him as he stood in front of her blocking the pathway.

"A friend then?" she ignored him, "Your parents?" he persisted.

Faye spun around to face him, "What's it to you? Just bugger off and go join your cronies! Haven't you got some prank planned for Severus or something?"

"So it is from a secret lover then!" he teased, "I knew it!"

"Get stuffed Black." She continued to walk away at a faster pace. Sirius bounded after her and grabbed her bag from her shoulder. "What are you doing?" she cried still holding onto one end of the strap as Sirius tugged violently on the other. "Get off!"

He pulled sharply upwards and sent Faye tumbling gently backwards; quickly he reached inside and drew out the letter.

"That's private. Give it back right now." Faye ordered as she scrambled to her feet

"How about no." he smirked pulling the ribbon open and watching the paper unfurl. "It looks interesting. I think I'll just take a little peek..." he held the letter above his head out of her reach as Faye jumped for it.

"Black, you dare and you will wish you were never born!" Faye drew out her wand in all seriousness.

"Now, now." He said, still laughing, "I think I have a right to know about your love life, being a friend and all." Faye lowered her wand at the word friend but as she watched his eyes begin to flick over the words she made her decision, aimed her wand, closed her eyes, and murmured a word…

…………………………………………………………………………………………..

**A/N: Please no one kill me! I have children! Well, I don't actually but I might have one day! Anyway I am soo sorry, I know I promised to update within a week and it's been almost two months. I wrote this chapter ages ago and I just never got round to typing it up, you have to thank**** peachberri**** for that, her review made me get off my arse and do it. I go back to school tomorrow so the outlook is bleak for future updates, I will be getting massive amounts of homework as well as a mound of art coursework the size of Jupiter, but I promise to try my hardest to update.**

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	18. Talking about it

Twisting Love for a Laugh

Chapter 18 – Talking about it

Wednesday Midday – Dumbledore's Office

Lily stood on the seventh floor gazing up at the gargoyle that loomed over her mockingly. She felt sick with nerves, it was worse than before she'd taken her OWLs. She wasn't entirely sure what she was supposed to do anyway, she didn't know what the current password was and there wasn't exactly a doorbell.

Just as she gave a nervous little cough the gargoyle moved back revealing a staircase and Professor Dumbledore who was gliding calmly down them. His smile however didn't make Lily feel any better, she just wished that the ground would swallow her whole and this would all be over.

"I thought we should take a walk Miss Evans, it's a nice day." It wasn't actually, it was freezing outside but she didn't want to argue and nodded her head in agreement, not able to talk she found.

"Every-flavour bean?" Dumbledore offered her as they walked out of the castle, drawing the packet out of his cloak.

"No thanks." She managed to choke out.

"Really? I always find that they cheer me up immensely."

"I'm not unhappy Professor." She replied, not sure where this was going, she had been expecting to be yelled at, to be given detention for the rest of her life, not to go on a picnic with the Headmaster.

"Really?" he repeated, incredulously. "I've watched you over the past few days you don't seem to be talking much to anyone these days, not even Mr Potter." Lily cringed, how did he know about that? She wasn't really sure she wanted to discuss her love life with the Professor Dumbledore yet.

Lily didn't say anything and for a few minutes they walked in silence together. The forest looked particularly mysterious; it was shrouded in low mist in an uninviting way.

"How much do you know about Miss Pent, Lily?" Dumbledore asked kindly. Oh Merlin, there it was; the question she'd been dreading, he wanted to know how much she'd read.

"I – I didn't read much, I mean I wasn't deliberately reading – I was – "

"No, no. I didn't mean from the file, although I am disappointed in you for reading it. I meant how well do you know Miss Pent from talking to her, being around her?"

Lily's mind was spinning now; he was only 'disappointed' in her, he wasn't going to expel her? She didn't understand; why wasn't he angry?

Dumbledore must have noticed the expression on her face because he stopped and looked out over the lake. "McGonagall overreacted slightly I'm afraid. Those documents are of the utmost importance and she wasn't supposed to entrust them to a student, even McGonagall doesn't know what those files contain. But I should have known that someone would read them eventually, and now that you have, it could be of some use."

Lily was even more puzzled, "What do you mean Professor?"

"I mean what I asked earlier, how much do you know about Faye?"

Dumbledore's eyes bore into Lily's as if seeking an answer there to a question different to the one he had just asked.

"I don't really know that much about her I suppose." Lily thought of all that she had read in that file, of what she had overheard Remus talking about and felt guilty for lying.

"But you know her more than you think you do. More than anyone else at this school does, apart from me that is. That is why I wish to ask something of you; it is again of the utmost importance and will require great effort from you."

"Yes, of course, anything" Lily was willing to do whatever it was Dumbledore wanted her to do to make up for the things she had done.

"I want you to look after her."

Lily did a double take. Look after Faye Pent? Since when had she needed looking after? "Excuse me?" Lily asked.

"She may not be a child but she's more fragile than she looks. Look after her please Lily; you might need it just as much as she does." Dumbledore looked at her intensely once again before smiling gently, "I'll leave you to it then Miss Evans."

Lily watched Dumbledore wander back to the castle. That man had finally cracked, she was certain of it. He was mad, insane, why on earth he thought that she should look after Faye was anyone's guess.

She wrapped her arms around her as the wind blew through her robes. She needed time to think about what Dumbledore had just said and although outside was usually the place for thinking it was just too cold today. Instead Lily headed up towards the owlery where she would be able to catch a few minutes by herself; besides, the owls were always good company.

As she trudged up the hill she heard voices shouting nearby. Looking around her she saw two people standing near the Owlery obviously engaged in an argument. On drawing closer she realised that recognised them; it was Faye and Sirius. Lily gasped as she saw Faye pull her wand out and aim it at Sirius, she began to run towards them, suspecting trouble.

Lily screamed as Sirius suddenly turned limp and fell to the ground. Lily sprinted up the rest of the path as Faye turned and saw her. She saw Faye grab something out of his hand and shove it in her pocket.

"What have you just done!" She screeched, kneeling down next to Sirius.

"I – I was just – " Faye stuttered.

"Sirius? Sirius?" Lily shook his shoulders carefully, "Can you hear me?" There was no reply, "What have you done Pent?" she screamed at Faye who was standing above her

"Me? It was him who was being a git! I warned him but he wouldn't stop."

"What do you mean? What was he doing?" Lily snapped, still fussing over Sirius trying to work out what was wrong.

"I don't see why your so concerned, I didn't think you even liked him!" she snapped back.

"Just because you don't like someone doesn't mean you can just stand by when other people ... urm." Lily looked at Sirius' unmoving form, he was still breathing and seemed to be unhurt even though he still wasn't responding, "What exactly have you done to him Pent?" Lily demanded.

"God, and I thought you were supposed to be the clever one! Surely you can tell when someone is sleeping?" With that Faye turned on her heels and marched off in the direction of the school; letter still in her pocket. Lily looked after her open mouthed as, right on cue, Sirius let out a loud snore.

* * *

Wednesday Evening – Common Room

Pent was sat in her usual place in the corner, fidelling with her short strands of hair. She regretted cutting it now as it was too short to even plait properly and it kept falling infront of her eyes.

At the opposite side of the room Remus, James and Peter sat playing a game of exploding snap. Remus was obviously winning as Peter was looking completely confused and James was being distracted by the redhead who had just walked through the portrait with a handsome, dark haired boy drowsily following her.

Lily Paused as she made her way across the common room to the staircase and looked at Faye curiously for a few seconds before sh noticed Faye staring straight back at her and feeling uncomfortable, looked away.

Faye continued to sulk in the corner, her thoughts drowned out by the noise if the other Gryffindors.

"Hey." A voice sounded quietly beside her. Faye jumped as Sirius sat down beside her, she made to stand but he grabbed her arm, "Wait."he said softly but firmly. "I want to you about this morning."

"I said; I'm sorry alright." She made to stand again.

"You don't need to be, It was my fault, I was being a git. I shouldn't have invaded your privacy like that. I deserved it, I bet you're not the only one who'd knock me out given half the chance." he grinned at her but she looked away, wishing once again that her hair was long enough to cover her face.

"Um, what I actually wanted to talk about, " he continued awkwardly, scratching the back of his head "was that letter."

Faye's head whipped around and she stared at him with an expression of horror.

"It was from the ministry wasn't it?" he asked hesitantly.

"Not here." she hissed and suddenly she was griping his arm and storming out of the common room, dragging him behind her. Sirius found himself tripping through the portrait to the bemused looks of several second years and down the corridor into the nearest empty classroom.

"You don't talk about it." Faye told him, pushing him into a wall and standing threateningly in front of him. "You never speak of it to anyone got it?" Sirius nodded bewildered. Faye span around quickly to leave but once again Sirius grabbed her wrist.

"Will you quit that!" she yelled at him.

"Sorry." He loosened his hold on her wrist but didn't quite let go.

"What is it you want Black, I've already said I'm not going to talk about it!"

"I know, I just wanted to say.." Sirius awkwardl ran a hand through his hair, "That if you ever do want to, I'll listen okay?" then letting go of her wrist he walked past her to te door, "See you round then." he added and left, leaving Faye standing there gaping.

* * *

**A/N: It's been five months since I last updated this. SIX MONTHS! It's been insane, and I'm really sorry for keeping you all waiting. But there it was; chapter 18, I hope you liked it even if it was a little short and nothing much happened promise more action shortly!). Also, the second part to what exactly happened to Faye's brother is going to be revealed soonishly so keep on reading (and reviewing :P)!**

**As usual a massive thank you goes to everyone who has read or even better, reviewed, you all deserve waffles with extra cream and syrup:**

**RogueOnFire**

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**Emma**

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**peachberri**

**Lady Livia**

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**Bloody Midnight**

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**13WolfGirl13**


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